Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and former state public works minister VK Ebrahim Kunju passed away at a private hospital in Kochi on Tuesday. He was 73.
He had been ailing for years and was undergoing treatment recently for multiple myeloma and chronic kidney disease.
Ebrahim Kunju was a four-time MLA between 2001 and 2021, twice from the now-defunct Mattanchery constituency and twice from Kalamassery constituency. He holds the rare distinction of being the last MLA from Mattancherry and the first elected MLA from the newly-formed Kalamassery seat. Both constituencies are located in Ernakulam district where he primarily wielded influence and clout.
Ebrahim Kunju twice served as minister in the Kerala government, first from 2005 to 2006 as minister of industries and social welfare, and later from 2011 to 2016 as the PWD minister. During his term, it was publicised that a total of 227 bridges worth ₹1600 crore were commissioned.
However, the IUML leader attracted controversy in the Palarivattom flyover corruption case for allegedly releasing a mobilisation advance to the builder violating norms. The flyover, inaugurated in 2016, had to be shut down in 2019 and rebuilt after separate probes pointed to the absence of sufficient construction materials. He was charged as an accused by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). However, the charge sheet has still not been submitted and the trial is yet to begin.
Ebrahim Kunju, who served in various positions within the IUML and most recently as state vice-president, played a key role in expanding the party’s footprint outside its traditional stronghold of Malappuram. He led the party in Ernakulam and navigated challenges in the central districts. He was considered close to the Thangal family in Panakkad, the spiritual heart of the party.
{{/usCountry}}Ebrahim Kunju, who served in various positions within the IUML and most recently as state vice-president, played a key role in expanding the party’s footprint outside its traditional stronghold of Malappuram. He led the party in Ernakulam and navigated challenges in the central districts. He was considered close to the Thangal family in Panakkad, the spiritual heart of the party.
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