M. N. Govindan Nair

M. N. Govindan Nair (10 December 1910 – 27 November 1984), popularly known as MN, was an Indian communist politician born in Pandalam, in Pathanamthitta district, India. He is known as "Kerala Khrushchev".

M. N. Govindan Nair
Member of parliament for Thiruvananthapuram
In office
1977–1979
Preceded byV. K. Krishna Menon
Succeeded byNeelalohithadasan Nadar
Minister for Transport & Electricity
In office
25 September 1971 – 25 March 1977
Preceded byK. M. George
Succeeded byP. K. Vasudevan Nair
Minister for Agriculture & Electricity
In office
6 March 1967 – 21 October 1969
Preceded byE. P. Poulose
Succeeded byO. Koran
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office
1970–1977
Preceded byD. D. Potti
Succeeded byE. Chandrasekharan Nair
ConstituencyChadayamangalam
In office
1967–1970
Preceded byK. Krishna Pillai
Succeeded byK. Krishna Pillai
ConstituencyPunalur
Member of Parliament of Rajya Sabha
In office
1962–1967
ConstituencyKerala
Secretary of the Communist Party of India, Kerala State Council
In office
1970–1971
Preceded byS. Kumaran
Succeeded byN. E. Balaram
In office
1956–1959
Preceded byC. Achutha Menon
Succeeded byE. M. S. Namboodiripad
Member of Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly
In office
1952–1954
Personal details
Born(1910-12-10)10 December 1910
Pandalam, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India
Died27 November 1984(1984-11-27) (aged 73)
Political partyCommunist Party of India
SpouseDevaki
Children1 Son, 1 Daughter
Source:

Political life
Statue in Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram

M.N. began his public life by involving himself in anti-caste struggles taking place in the locality. He was also associated with Nair Service Society in his early days.

M.N's political life got a fillip when he visited Wardha, and met with many national leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru. Later he joined the communist movement in Kerala. He was one of the foremost leaders of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

He was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), and it was under his secretaryship that CPI came to power in the 1957 General Elections in Kerala which made the path for the E.M.S. Namboothiripad Ministry of 1957–1959. In 1964 when Communist Party split he remained in the CPI. He was Member of Parliament, and served as the Minister of Kerala. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in the General Elections of 1967 from Punalur Constituency and re-elected to the Assembly from Chadayamangalam Constituency in 1971 General Election. He undertook portfolios like Minister for Agriculture, Transport, Electricity and Housing in the Fourth Kerala Legislative Assembly in the C. Achutha Menon Government from 4 October 1970 to 25 March 1977.

Major policies

He was instrumental in pushing lot of radical and progressive policies and legislations in Kerala.

M.N. was responsible for launching the 'Laksham Veedu' or One Lakh housing scheme project in 1972, aimed at providing housing for the under privileged. In his respect, the scheme is now named after him.[1][2]

While being part of United Front (1970–1979, Kerala) he pushed legislations like Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Act, 1971 which nationalised private forest in Malabar region, Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1969 etc.[3]

References
  1. Assary, Gilveser (25 December 2016). "2016 Year of Change: House for all". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  2. https://shodhgangotri.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/5192/2/2_synopsis.pdf
  3. Staff Reporter (17 December 2010). "M.N. Govindan Nair remembered". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
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