# K. Velayudam

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This article is about the Sri Lankan politician and trade unionist. For the Indian politician, see [K. Velayudham Nayar](/source/K._Velayudham_Nayar).

**Karuppaiah Velayudam** (Tamil: கருப்பையா வேலாயுதம்; 6 April 1950 – 13 October 2015) was a [Sri Lankan](/source/Sri_Lanka) trade unionist, politician and state minister.

## Early life

Velayudam was born on 6 April 1950.[1]

## Career

Velayudam started his trade union career as a grassroots level organizer for the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU), a trade union representing tea, rubber and other plantation workers.[2] The LJEWU is affiliated to the [United National Party](/source/United_National_Party) (UNP).[3][4] He held several positions at the LJEWU before being appointed its Director Workers Education in 1982, a position he held until 2002.[2] He was elected general-secretary of the union in 2003 at its 23rd Delegate Convention.[2][5] Velayudam became general-secretary of the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), of which the LJEWU is a member, in 2005.[2] He became interim president of NTUF in 2008 before being elected president in October 2011 at its second congress.[2]

Velayudam had been a member of [Uva Provincial Council](/source/Uva_Provincial_Council) (UPC) since its creation in 1988.[6] Following the death of [Percy Samaraweera](/source/Percy_Samaraweera) he became the UNP's chief ministerial candidate in Uva during the [1999 provincial council election](/source/1999_Sri_Lankan_provincial_council_election) but the UNP lost control of the council to the [People's Alliance](/source/People's_Alliance_(Sri_Lanka)).[7] Velayudam contested the [2001 parliamentary election](/source/2001_Sri_Lankan_parliamentary_election) as one of the [United National Front](/source/United_National_Front_(Sri_Lanka))'s (UNF) candidates in [Badulla District](/source/Badulla_Electoral_District). He was elected and entered [Parliament](/source/Parliament_of_Sri_Lanka).[8] He stood for re-election at the [2004 parliamentary election](/source/2004_Sri_Lankan_parliamentary_election) as one of the UNF's candidates in Badulla District but failed to get elected after coming seventh among the UNF candidates.[9]

Velayudam contested the [2004 provincial council election](/source/2004_Sri_Lankan_provincial_council_election) as one of the UNP's candidates in Badulla District and was re-elected to the UPC.[10] He was re-elected at the [2009 provincial council election](/source/Sri_Lanka_Provincial_Council_elections,_2008%E2%80%932009).[11] He contested the [2010 parliamentary election](/source/2010_Sri_Lankan_parliamentary_election) as one of the UNF's candidates in Badulla District but again failed to get elected after coming third among the UNF candidates.[12] However, he re-entered Parliament on 8 August 2014 following the resignation of [Harin Fernando](/source/Harin_Fernando).[13][14] After the [2015 presidential election](/source/2015_Sri_Lankan_presidential_election) he was appointed State Minister of Plantation Industries by newly elected [President](/source/President_of_Sri_Lanka) [Maithripala Sirisena](/source/Maithripala_Sirisena).[15][16]

Velayudam did not contest the [2015 parliamentary election](/source/2015_Sri_Lankan_parliamentary_election) but was instead placed on the [United National Front for Good Governance](/source/United_National_Front_for_Good_Governance)'s (UNFGG) list of [National List](/source/National_List_Member_of_Parliament) candidates.[17][18] However, after the election he was not appointed to the National List.[19][20] He was the chief UNP organiser for Passara.[21]

Velayudam died on 13 October 2015 at a private hospital in [Chennai](/source/Chennai), India.[22][23][24]

## Electoral history

Electoral history of K. Velayudam Election Constituency Party Votes Result 1988 provincial Badulla District Elected 1993 provincial Badulla District Elected 1999 provincial Badulla District Elected 2001 parliamentary[8] Badulla District UNF Elected 2004 parliamentary[9] Badulla District UNF Not elected 2004 provincial[10] Badulla District UNP Elected 2009 provincial[11] Badulla District UNP Elected 2010 parliamentary[12] Badulla District UNF Not elected

## References

1. ["Directory of Members: Karuppaiah Velayudam"](http://www.parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/directory-of-members/viewMember/308). [Parliament of Sri Lanka](/source/Parliament_of_Sri_Lanka)

1. ["Mr. K. Velayudam"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151217230501/http://ntufsl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:mr-maenas-dolor&catid=79:&Itemid=435). National Trade Union Federation. Archived from [the original](http://www.ntufsl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81:mr-maenas-dolor&catid=79:&Itemid=435) on 17 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2014.

1. ["Thonda slams Ratnasiri as estate crisis widens"](http://www.sundaytimes.lk/960428/frontm.html). *[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Sunday_Times_(Sri_Lanka))*. 28 April 1996.

1. Satyapalan, Franklin R. (31 October 2012). ["Ganeshan challenges supremacy of CWC in plantations"](http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=64957). *[The Island (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Island_(Sri_Lanka))*

1. ["Union Leadership"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141213205535/http://www.ljewu.org/leader.php). Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union. Archived from [the original](http://www.ljewu.org/leader.php) on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2014-12-13.

1. ["Previous Provincial Council"](http://www.pcsec.up.gov.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=59&lang=en). [Uva Provincial Council](/source/Uva_Provincial_Council)

1. ["Provincial Elections"](http://www.sundaytimes.lk/990411/news2.html). *[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Sunday_Times_(Sri_Lanka))*. 11 April 1999.

1. ["General Election 2001 Preferences"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100304015155/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/preference2001GE.pdf). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from [the original](http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/preference2001GE.pdf) on 2010-03-04.

1. ["General Election 2004 Preferences"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100304015514/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Preference2004GE.pdf). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from [the original](http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Preference2004GE.pdf) on 2010-03-04.

1. ["Results of Provincial Council Elections 2004"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090107101529/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/2004Provincial.pdf). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from [the original](http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/2004Provincial.pdf) on 2009-01-07.

1. ["Preferences Badulla"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091210031151/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/PrefBadulla2009.pdf). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from [the original](http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/PrefBadulla2009.pdf) on 2009-12-10.

1. ["Parliamentary General Election – 2010 Badulla Preferences"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100513042453/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/GE2010_preferences/Badulla_pref_GE2010.pdf). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from [the original](http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/GE2010_preferences/Badulla_pref_GE2010.pdf) on 2010-05-13.

1. ["Velayudhan sworn in to replace Harin"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140815021422/http://www.nation.lk/edition/breaking-news/item/32081-velayudhan-sworn-in-to-replace-harin.html). *[The Nation (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Nation_(Sri_Lanka))*. 8 August 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.nation.lk/edition/breaking-news/item/32081-velayudhan-sworn-in-to-replace-harin.html) on 15 August 2014.

1. ["Velayudhan replaces Harin at parliament"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141213151409/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-69927-news-detail-velayudhan-replaces-harin-at-parliament.html). *[Ceylon Today](/source/Ceylon_Today)*. 8 August 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-69927-news-detail-velayudhan-replaces-harin-at-parliament.html) on 13 December 2014.

1. ["New Cabinet ministers sworn in"](http://www.dailymirror.lk/61073/new-cabinet-ministers-sworn-in). *[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Daily_Mirror_(Sri_Lanka))*. 12 January 2015.

1. ["New Cabinet takes oaths"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150118145912/http://www.nation.lk/edition/latest-top-stories/item/37306-new-cabinet-takes-oaths.html). *[The Nation (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Nation_(Sri_Lanka))*. 12 January 2015. Archived from [the original](http://www.nation.lk/edition/latest-top-stories/item/37306-new-cabinet-takes-oaths.html) on 18 January 2015.

1. ["PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ACT, No. 1 OF 1981 List of Persons submitted under Article 99A of the Constitution"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150923223754/http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2015/PDF/Jul/1923_02/1923_02%28E%29.pdf). *The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary*. **1923/02**. 13 July 2015. Archived from [the original](http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2015/PDF/Jul/1923_02/1923_02%28E%29.pdf) on 23 September 2015.

1. ["UPFA, UNP national lists announced"](http://www.dailymirror.lk/79387/upfa-unp-national-lists-announced). *[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Daily_Mirror_(Sri_Lanka))*. 13 July 2015.

1. ["PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION — 2015 Declaration under Article 99A of the Constitution"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150923223732/http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2015/PDF/Aug/1928_25/1928_25%20E.pdf). *The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary*. **1928/25**. 21 August 2015. Archived from [the original](http://www.documents.gov.lk/Extgzt/2015/PDF/Aug/1928_25/1928_25%20E.pdf) on 23 September 2015.

1. ["UNP national list"](http://www.dailymirror.lk/84249/unp-national-list-submitted-to-ec). *[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Daily_Mirror_(Sri_Lanka))*. 21 August 2015.

1. ["State Minister Velayudan's funeral today"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151020033410/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-106734-news-detail-state-minister-velayudans-funeral-today.html). *[Ceylon Today](/source/Ceylon_Today)*. 17 October 2015. Archived from [the original](http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-106734-news-detail-state-minister-velayudans-funeral-today.html) on 20 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

1. Kogulan, Ratnam (13 October 2015). ["Ex-minister Velayudhan passes away"](http://www.dailymirror.lk/91091/ex-minister-velayudhan-passes-away). *[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)](/source/The_Daily_Mirror_(Sri_Lanka))*

1. Santiago, Melanie (13 October 2015). ["Former Minister Velayudam passes away"](http://newsfirst.lk/english/2015/10/former-minister-k-velayudam-passes-away/114120). *[News First](/source/News_First)*

1. ["Former Minister K.Velayutham passes away"](http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/former-minister-kvelayutham-passes-away). *[Daily News](/source/The_Daily_News_(Sri_Lanka))*. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [K. Velayudam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Velayudam) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Velayudam?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.