Antony Raju

Antony Raju was born on 18 November 1954 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, to Shri Alphonse and Smt. Lourdamma. He completed his B.A. and LL.B and practised as an advocate before fully entering politics. His early political work included roles in district party bodies and cooperative and industrial boards in Kerala.

Raju’s legislative career began with his first election victory in 1996 from the Thiruvananthapuram West constituency. After a period out of the assembly, he contested again and won the Thiruvananthapuram Assembly seat in 2021, defeating incumbent leaders and becoming an MLA aligned with the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

In 2021, he was appointed Minister for Transport in the Kerala government, where he worked on public transportation policies, including initiatives related to electric buses and infrastructure. He served in that role until December 2023, when a cabinet reshuffle replaced him.

In January 2026, a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Nedumangad convicted Raju in a long-running evidence-tampering case dating back to 1990, sentencing him to three years’ imprisonment.

Under the Representation of the People Act, this conviction led to his automatic disqualification as an MLA, and the Thiruvananthapuram seat was declared vacant as of 3 January 2026. Raju has filed an appeal against the conviction in the higher court.