Mananthavady MLA O.R. Kelu will replace K. Radhakrishnan—who has been elected as the MP of Alathur—in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet.
Born to Raman and Ammu in 1970, Kelu, who is from the Kurichya tribal community, is the first CPI(M) minister ever from Wayanad. In 2016, he defeated P.K. Jayalakshmi—the first tribal ever to become a minister in Kerala—of the UDF to become the MLA of Mananthavady. In 2021, Mananthavady once again embraced Kelu.
Kelu first became a people’s representative when he became a ward member in Thirunelli Panchayat in 2000. Since 2005, for the next ten years, he was president of the Thirunelli Panchayat. In 2015, he became a block panchayat member.
Kelu’s ministership will give Wayanad its first representation in the Pinarayi cabinet. Kelu’s position as a CPI(M) state committee member helped his ascent to the ministership. In 2022, when he was inducted into the CPI(M) state committee, he became the first leader from Wayanad coming from an ST background to be included in the party's state committee.
Fondly called “Keluvettan,” the new minister is seen as a crucial figure gluing the tribal communities with the red party. Kelu has been the state president of the CPI(M) affiliate, Adivasi Kshema Samithi, as well as the chairman of the Legislative Committee on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Backward Welfare.
Kelu will now handle the ministry for Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Backward Classes. Notably, the other two departments handled by Radhakrishnan—Parliamentary Affairs and Devaswom—have been transferred to M.B. Rajesh and V.N. Vasavan, respectively.
