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V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, elder person of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and erstwhile Kerala Minister for Public Works, died successful Kochi connected Tuesday (January 6, 2026). He was 73.
He had been undergoing attraction for aggregate myeloma, bosom nonaccomplishment and chronic kidney illness for immoderate time. The decease occurred astir 3.40 p.m astatine VPS Lakeshore Hospital wherever helium was admitted connected January 4, 2026 pursuing health-related complications, according to infirmary authorities.
A four-time subordinate of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Mr. Kunju had represented the Kalamassery constituency successful Ernakulam from 2011 to 2021. He was the MLA of the past Mattancherry constituency from 2001 to 2011.
Born connected May 20, 1952 astatine Kongorppilly adjacent Aluva, helium entered nationalist beingness done the Muslim Students’ Federation and held enactment positions successful the Muslim Youth League for long. He was progressive successful assorted commercialized unions and organisations, including Swathanthra Thozilali Union astatine Eloor, TELK Technical Employees Association, Angamaly and Traco Cables Staff and Workers Organisation, Irumpanam, Ernakulam. He had served arsenic manager of the Cochin International Airport Limited and subordinate of the Syndicate of the Cochin University of Science and Technology.
A adjacent confidante of IUML person P.K. Kunhalikutty and the Panakkad Thangal family, helium was chosen arsenic the party’s replacement aft Mr. Kunhalikutty resigned from the station of Minister for Industries successful January 2005 pursuing the infamous Kozhikode crystal pick parlour enactment ungraded case.
His vocation graph went up aft helium became the Minister for Public Works successful the United Democratic Front (UDF) authorities successful 2011. He had faced protests from enactment workers aft the past Oommen Chandy ministry decided to hole the width of nationalist highways successful Kerala astatine 45 metres. Along with Mr. Chandy, helium had been vocal astir the infrastructure projects initiated during his tenure arsenic the Minister for Public Works, including the completion of 227 bridges crossed the State astatine a full outgo of astir ₹1,600 crore.
Corruption charges
His governmental vocation faced a setback aft the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested him successful November 2020 connected the complaint of corruption successful the operation of the decommissioned flyover span astatine Palarivattom successful Kochi. The crux of the lawsuit against him was that helium had precocious ₹9 crore to the builder ostensibly to expedite the work.
The reverberations of the contention outgo him beloved arsenic section IUML leaders successful Kalamassery objected to his candidature successful the 2021 Assembly polls. The enactment enactment came up with an alternate by fielding his lad V.E. Abdul Gafoor arsenic the candidate, though helium had denied it was done connected his request. He was not progressive successful nationalist forums afterwards owed to his wellness condition.
He is survived by his wife, Nadeera, sons Abdul Gafoor, V.E. Abbas, and V.E. Anoob.
