V. T. Balram
{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1978)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = V. T. Balram
| native_name =
| image = File:V T Balram.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| office = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
| constituency = Thrithala
| term_start = {{Start date|2011||}}
| term_end = {{End date|2021||}}
| predecessor = T. P. Kunjunni
| successor = M. B. Rajesh
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|05|21|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Thrithala, Palakkad, Kerala, India
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = {{Unbulleted_list|Sree Krishna College, Guruvayur
{{small|(Bachelor of Science)}}|Government Engineering College, Thrissur
{{small|(Bachelor of Technology)}}|Government Law College, Thrissur
{{small|(Bachelor of Laws)}}|Department of Commerce & Management Studies, University of Calicut
{{small|(Master of Business Administration)}}}}
| spouse = Anupama Balram
| children = 2
| website =
| footnotes =
| source = http://niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/mem/v_t_balram.htm
}}
V. T. Balram (born 21 May 1978) is an Indian politician from Kerala and a member of the Indian National Congress and vice-president of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. He was a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly representing Thrithala constituency for two consecutive terms. Later he was defeated by M. B. Rajesh of Communist Party of India (Marxist) by a vote margin of 3173.{{cite news |title=Kerala Assembly Election 2021, Thrithala profile: Firebrand Congress leader VT Balram won second term in 2016 |url=https://www.firstpost.com/politics/kerala-assembly-election-2021-thrithala-profile-firebrand-congress-leader-vt-balram-won-second-term-in-2016-9367581.html |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=Firstpost |date=7 March 2021}}{{cite news |title=UDF's Balram, who breached Left stronghold in Thrithala, confident of another victory |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/udf%E2%80%99s-balram-who-breached-left-stronghold-thrithala-confident-another-victory-42041 |access-date=1 April 2021 |work=The News Minute |date=22 April 2016 |language=en}}
Early life and education
Balram was born to K. Sreenarayanan and V. T. Saraswathy on 21 May 1978, in Othalur near Thrithala in Palakkad district, Kerala. He did his schooling from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Palakkad and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Jhalawar.
He was University Union Councillor, Sree Krishna College, Guruvayur (1997) and Government Engineering College, Thrissur (2002); Senate Member, University of Calicut (1999–2000 and 2006–2007); Editor, KSU State Kalasala (2007–2008); State Secretary, Indian Youth Congress (2009–2010); State General Secretary, Indian Youth Congress (2010–2013).{{cite web |url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/mem/v_t_balram.htm |title=Members - Kerala Legislature |website=www.niyamasabha.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216215120/http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/mem/v_t_balram.htm |archive-date=2012-02-16}}
He was elected a second time to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election from the once communist bastion, Thrithala, at a time when his front, the UDF, managed to win only 47 seats out of the total 140. In 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, Balram lost the election to Former Lok Sabha Member of Palakkad M. B. Rajesh.
Cultural and political image
In 2016, he supported Amnesty International in the controversy against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.{{cite web | url=http://www.bangalorewishesh.com/378-news-headlines/41220-anti-national-slogans-at-amnesty-international-meet.html | title=Anti National slogans at Amnesty international meet | date=16 August 2016 | publisher=Bangalore Wishesh | author=Aravind | access-date=11 August 2019 }} He has admitted his son to a government school and declared that he does not want to raise him in any religion or caste.{{cite news|last1=Chauhan|first1=Chanchal|title=Kerala leaders VT Balram, MB Rajesh leave column blank in school forms, say their children have no default religion|url=http://www.india.com/news/india/kerala-leaders-vt-balram-mb-rajesh-leave-column-blank-in-school-forms-say-their-children-have-no-default-religion-2193657/|access-date=11 January 2018|work=India.com|date=2 June 2017|language=en}}{{cite news|title=My children have no default religion: 2 Kerala leaders refuse to fill in column in school form|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/my-children-have-no-default-religion-2-kerala-leaders-refuse-fill-column-school-form-62983|access-date=11 January 2018|work=The News Minute|date=1 June 2017}} He is noted for his strong opposition to Hindutva and economic reservation for forward castes implemented by the LDF Government of Kerala.{{Cite news|url=https://english.madhyamam.com/kerala/not-economic-reservation-but-savarna-reservation-congress-mla-vt-balram-559854|title=Not economic reservation but savarna reservation: Congress MLA V T Balram|website=Madhyamam}} A vegetarian for 19 years, he protested against the beef ban in India by eating beef with his friends and shared the video on social media.{{cite news|title=Vegetarian for 19 years, Kerala Congress MLA VT Balram eats beef to lodge protest|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/video/kerala-congress-mla-vt-balram-beef-protests-eating-beef-vegetarianism-bjp-849050-2017-06-02|access-date=11 January 2018|work=India Today|date=2 June 2017}}
He was mocked by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) sympathizers for taking a photograph with transgender activist Sheethal Shyam during a pride parade, for which then Lok Sabha Member M. B. Rajesh tendered an unconditional apology.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/party-cadres-mock-transgender-activist-cpim-mp-apologises-53752|title=Party cadres mock transgender activist, CPI(M) MP apologises|website=The News Minute}}
In January 2018, he faced an attack for his unsavory comments in social media on the late communist leader A. K. Gopalan, accusing him of child abuse for falling in love with a 11-year-old girl.{{cite news|title=CPI(M) workers hurl rotten eggs at Kerala Congress MLA V.T. Balram|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/cpim-workers-hurl-rotten-eggs-at-kerala-congress-mla-vt-balram/article22410599.ece|access-date=11 January 2018|work=The Hindu|date=10 January 2018|language=en-IN}}{{cite news|last1=M.K.|first1=Nidheesh|title=Kerala Congress MLA attacked over controversial remarks on A.K.Gopalan|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AqQfFAYRo2ubEFl6LwVG6H/Kerala-Congress-MLA-attacked-over-controversial-remarks-on-A.html|access-date=11 January 2018|work=livemint.com/|date=10 January 2018}}