Shailaja, widely known as ‘Guru Shailaja’, is a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and former Health Minister of Kerala from 2016 to 2021. She has gained national and global recognition for her leadership during major public health crises, particularly the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic, where Kerala’s early response was widely noted For its efficiency and transparency.
early life:
KK Shailaja was born on November 20, 1956 in Kannur district of Kerala, into a family that valued education and social awareness. She grew up in a politically conscious environment in northern Kerala, a region known for its strong leftist movement and grassroots activism, which played a formative role in shaping her ideological leanings from an early age.
She continued her education in Kerala and later trained as a teacher, eventually working as a school teacher for several years. Not only did her profession earn her the widely used title of “Shailaja’s Guru”. During her school years, she was actively involved in progressive student politics through organizations such as the Students Federation of India (SFI), followed by involvement in the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).
About Peravoor:
Peravur is a constituency in Kannur district, part of the Kannur Lok Sabha seat
At the local government level, Peravoor Grama Panchayat consists of 17 wards and is currently administered by the LDF. However, the Peravur block panchayat area, which includes eight grama panchayats, Kottiyur, Kelakam, Kannichar, Muzhakunnu, Aralam, Ayankunnu, Koloyad and Peravur, is under the control of the United Democratic Front.
At the aggregation level, Peravoor is currently represented by Adv. Sunny Joseph of the Indian National Congress (INC), who won the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections with 46.93% of the votes
Peravoor has often leaned towards the Congress-led United Democratic Front in recent elections, making it a relatively tough seat for the CPI(M). The decision to field a senior leader like KK Shailaja against INC’s Sunny Joseph in the Kerala Assembly elections in 2026 is seen as a strategic move to boost the party’s chances in the constituency.
Shailja’s political record:
KK Shailaja entered the Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1996 and was later re-elected in 2006. In 2016, she won from Mattannur and served as Health Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, gaining recognition for her handling of public health crises.
In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, she was re-elected from Mattannur, defeating Elikal Ugothi of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), a component of the United Democratic Front (UDF). She received a record margin of victory of 96,129 votes with 61.96% of the vote, the highest in the state.
Despite her strong electoral record and administrative experience, she was not included in the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, as the CPI(M) opted for a complete cabinet reshuffle.
For the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, it has been fielded from Peravur constituency in Kannur district, marking a shift from Mattannur. The move places it in another CPI(Maoist)-hit district, making the contest significant in the party’s electoral strategy in Kannur.
