K. K. Shailaja, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and former Health Minister of Kerala, lost in the Peravoor constituency in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
Shailaja, widely known as 'Shailaja Teacher,' gained national recognition for her leadership during major public health crises, including the Nipah virus outbreak and the COVID-19 pandemic.
She was born in Kannur district, Kerala, into a family that valued education and social awareness. Shailaja pursued her education in Kerala and later trained as a teacher, working as a schoolteacher for several years.
She first entered the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1996 and was later re-elected in 2006. In 2016, she won from Mattannur and served as Health Minister in the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan.
Despite her strong electoral record and administrative experience, she was not included in the second Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet. For the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, she was fielded from the Peravoor constituency, marking a shift from Mattannur.
Adv. Sunny Joseph of the Indian National Congress (INC) retained the seat with a 46.93% vote share in the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election.
