o. Rajagopal
{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Dr. O. Rajagopal
| image = O Rajagopal.jpg
| alt = Dr. O Rajagopal
| office1 = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
| term_start1 = 19 May 2016
| term_end1 = 2 May 2021
| constituency1 = Nemom
| parliament1 = Indian
| predecessor1 = V. Sivankutty
| successor1 = V. Sivankutty
| primeminister2 = Atal Bihari Vajpayee
| term_start2 = {{Start date|1999|10|13|df=yes}}
| term_end2 = {{End date|2004|05|22|df=yes}}
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| office3 = Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
| constituency3 =
| term_start3 = {{Start date|1992||}}
| term_end3 = {{End date|2004||}}
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1929|09|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Palakkad, Madras Presidency, British India
(present day Palakkad, Kerala, India)
| nationality = Indian
| residence = Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Bharatiya Janata Party
| parents = {{Unbulleted_list|Kunnathu Madhavan Nair|O. Konhikkavu Amma}}
| spouse = Dr. Shantha Kumari
| children = 2 (incl. Vivekanand, Shyamaprasad)
| relations =
| footnotes =
| date =
}}
Olanchery Rajagopal (born 15 September 1929) is an Indian politician, former Union Minister of State, and the former MLA from Nemom and the first Bharatiya Janata Party member & its floor leader in the Legislative Assembly of Kerala.{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/live-updates/kerala-election-results-2016-1886323|publisher=zeenews.india.com|title=Kerala Assembly Results 2016: As it happened | Zee News|access-date=2017-01-29}} One of the major leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Kerala, he has held various ministerial portfolios including Defence, Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Development, Law, Justice, Company Affairs, and Railways.[https://web.archive.org/web/20040627170313/http://www.hindu.com/2004/04/28/stories/2004042806331200.htm Candidate Watch - 'O. Rajagopal, BJP candidate, Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat'] The Hindu - 28 April 2004 Rajagopal was a two-time MP in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament from 1992 till 2004.[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011031/edit.htm Diluting MLAs’ rights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120041338/https://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20011031/edit.htm |date=20 January 2022 }} The Tribune, Chandigarh - 31 October 2001{{usurped|[https://archive.today/20130125200130/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2004/06/10/stories/2004061004751100.htm 18 outsiders in Rajya Sabha]}} The Hindu - 10 June 2004 O.Rajagopal was also a member of Government of Kerala's Legislative Assembly Committee on Petitions & Committee of Public Work, Transport and Communications.Rajagopal has been honored with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honor in the country, on the eve of India's 75th Republic Day. The award recognizes his contributions in the public sphere.
In addition, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honor in the country, on the eve of India's 75th Republic Day. The award recognizes his contributions in the public sphere. BJP Central Minister from Kerala and also served as the BJP parliamentary party deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. Rajagopal was also the former BJP national vice president & state president of BJP in Kerala. Rajagopal lost the 2014 Lok sabha elections in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency by a narrow margin of 13000 votes after a close fight. He has also lost few assembly elections by a low margin.
Union Government planned to make O. Rajagopal the next State Governor of Goa after his term ended as an MLA in the Kerala Legislative Assembly in May 2021.{{cite web | url=https://malayalam.oneindia.com/news/kerala/o-rajagopal-likely-to-become-the-governor-of-goa-126559.html | title=ഒ രാജഗോപാലിന് ഗവര്ണര്സ്ഥാനം കിട്ടാനുളള സാധ്യത തെളിയുന്നു | date=8 October 2014 }} But he gave away the offer later by Central government that allows another Kerala BJP leader PS Sreedharan Pillai who is then Governor of Mizoram and transferred to Goa as the new Governor.
Early life
He was born on Thiruvonam day, 15 September 1929 to Pandalam Kunnathu Madhavan Nair and O. Konhikkavu Amma of Olanchery Veedu in Pudukkode Panchayath in Palakkad. He is the eldest of the six children born to his parents. His early education took place in Kanakkannoor elementary school and Manjapra Upper Primary school and later went to Government Victoria College, Palakkad.
His Law education was undertaken in Government Law College, Chennai and after he completed his studies in law, he began practicing law in 1956 at the Palakkad District Court.[http://www.keral.com/celebrities/rajagopal/life&career.htm Life & Career] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928084420/http://www.keral.com/celebrities/rajagopal/life%26career.htm |date=28 September 2007 }} - Keral.com
Jana Sangh work
He was inspired by Deendayal Upadhyaya and began working in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, shortly after completing his studies. The death of Upadhyaya in 1968 spurred Rajagopal to pursue his public career more deeply. He was the State General Secretary of Jana Sangh until 1974. That same year, he was promoted to the post of President, a post he held until 1977.[http://www.keral.com/celebrities/rajagopal/positionsheld.htm Positions Held] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928084402/http://www.keral.com/celebrities/rajagopal/positionsheld.htm |date=28 September 2007 }} - Keral.com
During the Emergency period he was jailed with V. Velankutty, who was the Palakkad District President of Jana Sangh in Viyyur Central Jail. After the Indian Emergency, the Jana Sangh merged with the Janata Party. During this period of time Rajagopal served as the State General Secretary for the Jana Sangh.
BJP work
In 1980, the Janata Party split and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed. Rajagopal then served as its Kerala president until 1985. After 1985 he occupied a number of positions, including the All India Secretary, General Secretary, and the Vice-President of BJP. In 1989 he ran for a Lok Sabha from Manjeri but lost. Two years later, he contested in Thiruvananthapuram seat and lost again. His next run took place in the state of Madhya Pradesh. He was elected in 1992 and 1998 to the Rajya Sabha. In 1999 he attempted a second run from Thiruvananthapuram but failed again. However, he got a total of 1,58,221 votes (20.9%) and came second in one assembly segment out of seven.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiavotes.com/pc/detail/6306/28/13|publisher=indiavotes.com|title=IndiaVotes PC: Trivandrum 1999|access-date=2017-01-29}} The total number of votes he secured was much higher than that for the previous BJP candidate in 1998 (94,303 votes, 12.3%) {{cite web|url=http://www.indiavotes.com/pc/detail/5763/28/12|publisher=indiavotes.com|title=IndiaVotes PC: Trivandrum 1998|access-date=2017-01-29}} and 1996 (74,904, 10.4%) Lok Sabha elections.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiavotes.com/pc/detail/5220/28/11|publisher=indiavotes.com|title=IndiaVotes PC: Trivandrum 1996|access-date=2017-01-29}}
In 2004 Lok Sabha election, he contested for the third time from Thiruvananthapuram and finished third yet again, behind INC candidate V. S Shivakumar and CPI candidate P. K. Vasudevan Nair. He secured a total of 2,28,052 votes (29.9%) which was the highest votes secured by a BJP candidate in Kerala.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}}
In the 2011 Assembly elections he contested from the Nemom constituency in Thiruvananthapuram, but eventually lost by a margin of 6,400 votes. He lost the by-election from Neyyattinkara, which was held on 2 June 2012. However, he increased the BJP votes from 6,730 (2011 Assembly Election) to 30,507; an almost five-fold increase within a span of a year.{{cite web|url=http://keralaassembly.org/bypoll/Neyyattinkara2012.html|publisher=keralaassembly.org|title=Result of by-election from Neyyattinkara Assemblyconstiutency, Kerala|access-date=2017-01-29}} The BJP vote share also significantly increased from 6.0% in the 2011 election to 23.2%. He contested from Thiruvananthapuram for the fourth time in 2014 and finished second position, behind INC candidate Shashi Tharoor who was former UPA Minister at the central government.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiavotes.com/pc/acwisedetails/28/7959/16|publisher=indiavotes.com|title=IndiaVotes AC Wise Candidates information for PC: Thiruvananthapuram 2014|access-date=2017-01-29}} Rajagopal secured a total of 2,82,336 votes (32.3%) and lost by a margin of 15,470 votes (1.8%) against Tharoor, who had secured 2,97,806 votes.
He contested Aruvikkara by-election and finished third, although his personal influence ensured that in the contest BJP increased votes from 7,694 to 34,145 causing division of anti-incumbency vote resulting in the victory of UDF.{{Cite web|date=2015-06-30|title=In Aruvikkara, BJP produces five-fold increase in vote share at the cost of CPI(M)|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/in-aruvikkara-bjp-produces-five-fold-increase-in-vote-share-at-the-cost-of-cpim/|access-date=2020-09-18|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}
In the 2016 Assembly elections he contested from Nemom and defeated the sitting MLA V. Sivankutty, by a margin of 8,671 votes, thereby entering Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time at the age of 87.
Lok Sabha Elections
=2014 Lok Sabha Election=
{{Election box begin | title=2014 Indian general elections: Thiruvananthapuram }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Indian National Congress|candidate=Shashi Tharoor|votes=2,97,806|percentage=37.45|change={{gain}}1.45}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=2,82,336|percentage=33.53|change={{gain}}22.13}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=Bennet Abraham|party=Communist Party of India|votes=2,48,202|percentage=29.53|change={{loss}}1.2}}
{{Election box end}}
=2004 Lok Sabha Election=
{{Election box begin | title=2004 Indian general elections: Thiruvananthapuram }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Communist Party of India|candidate=P. K. Vasudevan Nair|votes=2,86,057|percentage=37.45|change={{gain}}1.45}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=V. S. Sivakumar|party=Indian National Congress|votes=2,31,454|percentage=30.30|change={{loss}}7.85}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=2,28,052|percentage=29.86|change={{gain}}8.93}}
{{Election box end}}
= 1999 Lok Sabha Election =
{{Election box begin | title=1999 Indian general election: Thiruvananthapuram{{cite web|url=http://keralaassembly.org/lok/poll.php4?year=1999&no=20 |title=Indian Parliament Election Results- Kerala 1999 |publisher=Keralaassembly.org |access-date=2013-10-20}} }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=V. S. Sivakumar|party=Indian National Congress|votes=288,390|percentage=38.15|change={{loss}}5.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Communist Party of India|candidate=Kaniyapuram Ramachandran|votes=273,905|percentage=36.23|change={{loss}}5.8}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=158,221|percentage=20.93|change={{gain}}7.78}}
{{Election box end}}
Kerala Assembly Elections
= Assembly election 2016 =
{{Election box begin | title=Nemom Assembly constituency }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=67,813|percentage=47.46%|change={{gain}}10.02}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=V. Sivankutty|party=Communist Party of India (Marxist)|votes=59,142|percentage=41.39%|change={{loss}}1.55}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Janata Dal (United)|candidate=V. Surendran Pillai|votes=13,860|percentage=9.70%|change={{loss}}7.66}}
{{Election box end}}
= Aruvikkara by-election 2015 =
{{Election box begin | title=Aruvikkara by-election 2015: }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Indian National Congress|candidate=K. S. Sabarinathan|votes=56,448|percentage=39.61|change={{loss}}10.47}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=M Vijayakumar|party=Communist Party of India (Marxist)|votes=46,320|percentage=32.50|change={{loss}}7.11}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=34,145|percentage=23.90|change={{gain}}17.29}}
{{Election box end}}
= Neyyattinkara By-Election 2012 =
{{Election box begin | title=Neyyattinkara By Election 2012 }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Indian National Congress|candidate=R. Selvaraj|votes=52,528|percentage=39.96|change={{loss}}3.02}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=F. Lawrence|party=Communist Party of India (Marxist)|votes=46,194|percentage=35.14|change={{loss}}13.84}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=30,507|percentage=23.21|change={{gain}}17.18}}
{{Election box end}}
= Assembly election 2011 =
{{Election box begin | title=Nemom Assembly constituency }}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=V Sivan Kutty|party=Communist Party of India (Marxist)|votes=50,076|percentage=42.99%|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=43,661|percentage=37.49%|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Socialist_Janata_(Democratic)|candidate=Charupara Ravi|votes=20,248|percentage=17.38%|change=}}
{{Election box end}}
= Assembly election 2006 =
{{Election box begin | title=Palakkad (State Assembly constituency)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=K. K. Divakaran|party=Communist Party of India (Marxist)|votes=41,166|percentage=36.97%|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Indian National Congress|candidate=A. V. Gopinathan|votes=39,822|percentage=35.76%|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|votes=27,667|percentage=24.85%|change=}}
{{Election box end}}
= Assembly election 1970 =
{{Election box begin | title=Palakkad (State Assembly constituency)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=R. Krishnan|party=Communist Party of India (Marxist)|votes=23,113 |percentage=40.50%|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||party=Independent (politician)|candidate=A. Chandran Nair |votes=17,653|percentage=30.93%|change=}}
{{Election box candidate with party link||candidate=O. Rajagopal|party=Bharatiya Jana Sangh|votes=15,646 |percentage=27.42%|change=}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajagopal, O.}}
Category:Rajya Sabha members from Madhya Pradesh
Category:National Democratic Alliance candidates in the 2014 Indian general election
Category:Government Victoria College, Palakkad alumni
Category:Bharatiya Jana Sangh politicians
Category:Indian people imprisoned during the Emergency (India)
Category:Activists from Kerala
Category:Politicians from Palakkad district