Trade union leader J Mercykutty Amma may soon launch ships of development

Kollam: Trade union leader J. Mercykutty Amma becomes a minister after dedicating decades of her life at various levels for the welfare of the people at various levels: in the student movement, in trade union and in the party. Ms Mercykutty Amma began her political career through the student movement as an SFI leader. She became the state vice- president of the SFI and later on became a member of the central executive committee of the organisation.

She later worked with CITU, the trade union arm of the CPM. At present, she serves as the national vice-president of the organisation. She was the district secretary of Matsya Thozhilali Union, state vice-president of Khadi Workers Federation.

The 59-year-old leader won from Kundara for the second time. She had defeated Alphonsa John of the Congress in 1996 but lost to Congress strongman Kadavoor Sivadasan in 2001. A post-graduatein economics, she has also done her LLB.

Ms Mercykutty Amma, a state committee member of the CPM, will be representing Kollam district in the cabinet; another trade union leader P.K. Gurudasan was the district’s representative in the ministry in the V.S. Achuthanandan ministry (2006-2011).

Ms mercykutty Amma has been identified with Mr Achuthanandan when factionalism peaked in the party in the last decade. Hers was one of the few voices that argued the case of the veteran leader in the state committee when the party leadership sought to sideline him on several occasions. She becomes the port minister at a time when the state has taken up several major projects including Vizhinjam international terminal and port.