Thrissur: CPM state secretariat member A.K. Balan is a product of Malabar: he was born in Nadapuram in Kozhikode district, studied in Government Brennen College, Thalassery and fought most of his elections from various constituencies in Palakkad district. A firebrand student leader in Brennen College, Mr Balan came in contact with chief-minister-designate Pinarayi Vijayan in the seventies, a relation the two leaders continue to nurture even now.
Mr Balan credits Mr Vijayan with protecting his life when political opponents raised a threat to him, then chairman of the college’s students union. Mr Vijayan drafted party workers to ensure that nobody harmed the young comrade, Mr Balan has reminisced. Mr Balan has also put on record his old comrade’s dare-devilry when he rescued activists of the Kerala Students Federation who ran into the sea to escape a police lathicharge.
A softspoken Mr Balan is known to speak his mind, too. He was at his candid best when he criticised then party general secretary Prakash Karat for his handling of Kerala affairs saying JNU education would not be sufficient to handle complex issues.
As Kerala’s power minister ( 2006-2011), he introduced several schemes including ‘power on demand’ and defended the plan to go ahead with the Athitrappally project saying no power minister can watch water going waste if it can generate electricity. “You can go to Mr Balan with any plan except for power cuts,” a former KSEB chief engineer said. “He is firm that it’s the board’s job to ensure power supply.”
Mr Balan, a four-time MLA and one-time MP from Ottappalam, has been reelected from Tarur constituency. Mr Balan is a lawyer by profession and his wife Dr.Jameela Balan retired as director of Health Services.
