R.S. Unni (18 February 1925 – 17 February 1999) was an Indian politician and trade unionist. He served as a Central Committee member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and president of the United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). A state legislator for decades, he served as a Kerala state government minister in the 1980s.[1]

Student and labour activism

R.S. Unni was the son of Raman Unni. In his youth he was active in student politics, through the Travancore Congress.[2] He served as the general secretary of the Kerala Students Congress. He was jailed for his role in anti-government protests in Travancore. He joined the Kerala Socialist Party in 1948, and became a member of the State Executive Committee of the party.[2][1] He joined the RSP in 1950.[2] A prominent trade unionist, he was noted for leading 'about 21 trade unions' as of the early 1970s.[3]

Legislator

He contested the 1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, standing as a candidate in the Thrrikkadavur constituency. He obtained 17,309 votes (16.7%).[4] In 1965 he contested the Eravipuram assembly seat, finishing in second place with 18,458 votes (35.55%). He lost the seat by a margin of 656 votes.[5] He won the Eravipuram seat in the 1967 assembly election, obtaining 31,083 votes (63.41%).[6]

Deputy Speaker

R.S. Unni retained the Eravipuram seat in the 1970 election, obtaining 35,631 votes (62.53%).[7] He was the Deputy Speaker of the legislative assembly between 31 October 1970 and 22 March 1977. Between 9 May 1975 and 16 February 1976 he acted as the Speaker of the assembly.[1] In the assembly he chaired the Public Undertakings Committee 1970–71, 1973–74 and 1976–77 and the Subordinate Legislation Committee 1971–72, 1972–73 and 1974–75.[2] He again won the Eravipuram seat in the 1977 election, obtaining 39,119 votes (58.52%).[8] He served as Kerala State Committee secretary of RSP 1978–1980.[1]

Minister

R.S. Unni retained Eravipuram in the 1980 election, getting 45,281 votes (57.65%).[9] Between 25 January and 20 October 1981 he held the post as Minister for Local Administration in the E.K. Nayanar cabinet.[1]

In the 1982 election, he won the Eravipuram seat with 37,862 votes (48.65%).[10] He was the opposition candidate for the post as speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly in June 1982, but was defeated by 74 against 61 votes.[11]

Lok Sabha candidate

R.S. Unni contested the Quilon Lok Sabha seat in the 1984 Indian general election. He finished in second place with 259,371 votes (46.14%).[12] He again contested the Quilon seat in the 1991 Indian general election, finishing in second place with 342,796 votes (46.63%).[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Kerala Legislative Assembly. Ministers' Book – Down the Years
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kerala Legislative Assembly. R.S. Unni
  3. ↑ Thomas Johnson Nossiter (1 January 1982). Communism in Kerala: A Study in Political Adaptation. University of California Press. pp. 61, 64. ISBN 978-0-520-04667-2.
  4. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1960 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  5. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1965 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  6. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1967 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  7. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1970 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  8. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1977 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  9. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1980 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  10. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTION, 1982 TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF KERALA
  11. ↑ N. S. Gehlot (1985). Office of the Speaker in India. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 127.
  12. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1984 TO THE EIGHT LOK SABHA – VOLUME I (NATIONAL AND STATE ABSTRACTS & DETAILED RESULTS)
  13. ↑ Election Commission of India. STATISTICAL REPORT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS, 1991 TO THE TENTH LOK SABHA – VOLUME I (NATIONAL AND STATE ABSTRACTS & DETAILED RESULTS)
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