P. K. Vasudevan Nair

Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair (Malayalam:പി.കെ. വാസുദേവന്‍‌ നായര്‍; 2 March 1926 – 12 July 2005), popularly known as PKV, was the 9th Chief Minister of Kerala and a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI). He became Chief Minister on 20 October 1978, following A. K. Antony's resignation as Chief Minister to protest against the Indian National Congress choice of Indira Gandhi as a candidate in the Chikmagalur Lok Sabha byelection. He gave up the coveted post on 7 October 1979, to facilitate the coming together of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and CPI and pave the way for the formation of the Left Democratic Front. He was the founder-president of the Travancore Students Union, All Kerala Students Federation and All India Youth Federation (AIYF). He remained with the CPI after the split in the Communist movement in 1964 and was elected the party's State secretary in 1982. He was elected to the Lok Sabha four times, in 1957, 1962, 1967 and 2004, and to the Kerala Legislative Assembly twice, in 1977 and 1980.