Kerala Legislative Assembly Election 2026 — Candidates Data
— V Muraleedharan
Kerala Legislative Assembly Election 2026 — Candidates Data›Candidate profile
V.
Muraleedharan
Vellamvelly Muraleedharan
“Former Union Minister of State for External Affairs; BJP's star candidate in TVM”
Political affiliation
Electoral record
| Year | Body | Constituency | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Rajya Sabha | Rajya Sabha (Maharashtra) | Won | Elected April 2018; among Kerala-origin BJP MPs in Rajya Sabha. |
| 2024 | Lok Sabha | Attingal | Third place | High-profile BJP contest in Kerala; seat not won. |
| 2026 | Assembly | Kazhakkoottam, Kerala | Contesting |
Political entry
Student politics through Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)
- Student activist, Thalassery — ABVP
Ministerial & key roles
Union Minister of State for External Affairs
Narendra Modi government (second term) · Sworn in 2019-05-30
- Parliamentary diplomacy and engagement with foreign delegations
- Indian diaspora outreach and country/region desks as allotted within MEA
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs
Narendra Modi government (second term) · Sworn in 2019-05-30
- Coordination of government business in Parliament
- Floor management and legislative scheduling support
Deputy Chief Whip, Rajya Sabha (Government)
Appointed 2019-06-12
Government whip duties in the Upper House.
Parliamentary memberships
- Rajya Sabha — Standing Committee on External Affairs (Member)
- Rajya Sabha — Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Railways (Member)
- Indian Maritime University, Chennai — Court of the University (Member)
Party leadership
Among the most prominent BJP leaders from Kerala with organisational and ministerial experience.
- Party expansion in Kerala
- Alliance and organisational strategy
- National visibility for BJP from the state
Organisational career
State
Unit, district and state leader in Kerala; full-time karyakarta
ABVP
National-level functionary with assignments beyond Kerala.
2010
State President (8th)
Bharatiya Janata Party (Kerala)
c. 2018
In-charge for Andhra Pradesh
Bharatiya Janata Party
Personal
Education
Schooling: Kodakkalam UP School, Thalassery; St Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Thalassery
English Language and Literature
Government Brennen College, Thalassery (University of Calicut)
Highest qualification: Graduate in English Language and Literature
Family
Father
Vannathanveetil Gopalan
Mother
Nampally Vellamvelly Devaki Amma
Marital status
Married
Spouse
Dr. K. S. Jayasree
Activist; associated with women's organisations such as Stree Chetana (also spelled Jayashree)
Known for
Sources
Last compiled: 2026-03-28
- Wikipedia biography of V. Muraleedharan
- Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs official profile
- Election affidavit / MyNeta and media reports
- Interviews on family and public life (e.g. Malayalam media, 2019)
Data compiled from publicly available sources with the assistance of AI. View constituency list.