V. Abdurahiman

   CPI(M)

(since 2023)

   Independent

(LDF-supported, 2016–2023)

   INC

(former)

V. Abdurahiman Minister, Kerala
Minister for Sports, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, Posts and Telegraph, Railways Government of Kerala
In office 20 May 2021 –23 May 2026
Other political affiliations	Left Democratic Front
Spouse	Smt. Shajida Rahman [1]

V. Abdurahiman (born 5 June 1962) is an Indian politician and businessman who served as the Minister for Sports, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, Posts & Telegraphs, Railways of Kerala from 2021 to 2026. ^[2] He was a Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly representing Tanur from 2016 to 2026. ^[3] He was also the LDF nominee for Lok Sabha in Ponnani during the 2014 Indian general election. He is a member of the National Secular Conference party.

Early life

V. Abdurahiman is professionally a businessperson and is married to Smt.Shajida Rahman. His birthplace is Pookayil, Tirur, a town in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. It was often remarked that, He was greatly fond of ice creams earning him the nickname, "Thoopal Icecream". ^[1]

Politics

Abdurahiman was a Congress Leader. He served as a Municipal Councilor in Tirur Municipality for 15 years. He held various positions including Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee executive committee member and former vice-chairman in Tirur Municipal Council. Later he left Indian National Congress.

In the 2014 Indian general election, he contested at Ponnani constituency as an LDF independent candidate and was defeated by the sitting MP E. T. Muhammed Basheer. ^[4] In the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, he won from Tanur constituency as a LDF independent candidate. ^{[5] [6]} In 2021, he retained the seat as a LDF Independent.

Controversy

In November 2020, Abdurahiman made an alleged anti-tribal remark during a press conference against Tirur MLA C Mammutty, inviting protests from tribal activists in Kerala. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]} In January 2023, he dragged himself into a controversy after making a comment on the government's decision to impose an 8% entertainment tax on tickets for the India-Sri Lanka one-day international hosted at the Karyavattom cricket ground. He said that those starving and hard-pressed to afford the tax on tickets best skip the match. This sparked a controversy. ^[11]

References

1. "V.ABDURAHIMAN" . Retrieved 12 July 2018.
2. "KERALA GAZETTE". Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
3. "Kerala Assembly Election 2016 Results". Kerala Legislature . Retrieved 8 June 2016.
4. DNA Web Team (22 April 2019). "Ponnani Lok Sabha constituency: Candidates for 2019 LS poll, past results, all updates". DNA India. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
5. "Kerala Niyamasabha Election Results 2016, Election commission of India". eci.gov.in.
6. Staff Reporter (20 May 2016). "LDF bags 4 seats, UDF retains 12 in Malappuram". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
7. Naha, Abdul Latheef (10 November 2020). "A long walk against an 'anti-tribal' remark". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 10 November 2020.
8. "Tribal activist walks 40 km barefoot in protest over racist remarks made by MLA". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
9. "Kerala activists demand apology from MLA for offensive remarks against Adivasis". The News Minute. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
10. "'നിങ്ങള്‍ ആദിവാസികളെ പഠപ്പിച്ചാല്‍ മതി'; ആക്ഷേപിച്ച് ഇടത് എംഎല്‍എ; പ്രതിഷേധം | Thanoor MLA – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
11. "Controversy erupts over Kerala Minister Abdurahiman's comment on cricket ticket tax". The Hindu . 9 January 2023. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 9 January 2023.