KOCHI: Former Kerala minister and senior Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader V K Ebrahim Kunju passed away in Kochi on Tuesday. He was 73.
According to a medical bulletin issued by VPS Lakeshore Hospital, he passed away at 3.40 pm while undergoing treatment in the private ICU.
He was admitted to the hospital on Sunday and had been under treatment for multiple myeloma, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease. He was brought to the hospital following health complications, the hospital said.
Born on May 20, 1952, at Kongorpilly near Aluva to V U Khader and Chithumma, Ebrahim Kunju entered public life through the Muslim Students Federation and later the Muslim Youth League, marking the beginning of a long and influential political journey. He was first elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2001 and went on to win again in 2006, 2011, and 2016, representing Mattancherry and later Kalamassery.
He served in key ministerial roles in UDF governments, first as Minister for Industries and Social Welfare in 2005 following the resignation of P K Kunhalikutty, and later as Minister for Public Works (2011–2016) in the second Oommen Chandy ministry. As PWD Minister, he oversaw major infrastructure initiatives and was regarded within the IUML as an organisationally disciplined and quietly influential leader.
A businessman-turned-politician, Ebrahim Kunju also served as chairman and chief executive of Forest Industries (Travancore) Ltd. Known for his understated style and strong grassroots connect, he remained a key figure in the IUML’s organisational network, particularly in Ernakulam and central Kerala.
His public life, however, was not without controversy. In 2020, the Kerala Governor granted permission to prosecute him in connection with the Palarivattom flyover case, and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau questioned him. Following the episode, his son, Abdul Gafoor, contested the 2021 Assembly election from Kalamassery, replacing the sitting MLA, Ibrahim Kunju, but lost to the CPM’s P Rajeeve.
The Palarivattom flyover issue remained under legal scrutiny in his later years, even as he withdrew from active political life due to ill health.
Ebrahim Kunju is survived by his wife, Nadeera, and their three children, Adv. Abdul Gafoor, Abbas, and Anoob.
The funeral will be held at 10 am on Wednesday, (January 7) at the Alangad Juma Masjid Qabristan.