Periyasamy Chandrasekaran (Tamil: பெரியசாமி சந்திரசேகரன்; 17 April 1957 – 1 January 2010) was a Sri Lankan trade unionist, politician and government minister.
P. Chandrasekaran | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament for Nuwara Eliya | |
| In office 1994–2010 | |
| Succeeded by | Santhanam Arulsamy |
| Member of the Central Provincial Council | |
| In office 1993–1994 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 April 1957 Talawakelle, Ceylon |
| Died | 1 January 2010 (aged 52) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Political party | Up-Country People's Front |
| Other political affiliations | United People's Freedom Alliance |
| Children | Anusha Chandrasekaran |
| Occupation | Trade unionist |
Early life and family
Chandrasekaran was born on 17 April 1957 in Talawakelle in central Ceylon.[1][2] He was educated at Sumana Demala Maha Vidyalayam, Talawakelle, St. Patrick's Vidyalayam, Talawakelle and Highlands College, Hatton.[2][3][4] Following the death of his father he gave up his education to support his family.[5]
Chandrasekaran was married Shanthini Devi.[4] They had two daughters.[4]
Career
Chandrasekaran became interested in politics at a young age and wrote articles in Tamil newspapers.[2] He joined the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), becoming its vice-president in 1977.[3][5] He was elected to the Talawakele Lindula Urban Council in 1982, Nuwara Eliya District Development Council in 1985 and Nuwara Eliya Divisional Council in 1987.[1][3] He left the CWC in 1989 and formed the Up-Country People's Front (UCPF).[3][5]
Chandrasekaran was one of the Democratic People's Liberation Front's (DPLF) candidates in Nuwara Eliya District at the 1989 parliamentary election but the DPLF failed to win any seats in Parliament.[6][7] He was arrested in 1990.[1] The draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act was used to arrest him 1993.[2] He was elected to the Central Provincial Council whilst in custody.[1][3]
Chandrasekaran was one of the UCPF's candidates for Nuwara Eliya District at the 1994 parliamentary election. He was elected and entered Parliament.[8] He was re-elected at the 2000, 2001 and 2004 parliamentary elections.[9][10][11]
After being elected to Parliament in 1994 he supported the new People's Alliance government.[1] He held several ministerial appointments thereafter: Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce (1994); Deputy Minister of Estate Housing (1994–99); Project Minister of Estate Infrastructure (2001); Minister of Community Development; Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Water Management (2001–04); and Minister of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication (2007–10).[2][3]
Chandrasekaran, who was at his home in Rajagiriya, failed to wake up on the morning of 1 January 2010.[12] He was taken to the private Nawaloka Hospital where he was pronounced dead on admission.[12][13]
Electoral history
| Election | Constituency | Party | Alliance | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 parliamentary[7] | Nuwara Eliya | UCPF | DPLF | 1,364 | Not elected |
| 1993 provincial | Elected | ||||
| 1994 parliamentary[8] | Nuwara Eliya | UCPF | Ind | 23,453 | Elected |
| 2000 parliamentary[9] | Nuwara Eliya | UCPF | UNP | 54,681 | Elected |
| 2001 parliamentary[10] | Nuwara Eliya | UCPF | UNF | 121,421 | Elected |
| 2004 parliamentary[11] | Nuwara Eliya | UCPF | 42,582 | Elected |