Editing K. R. Narayanan (section)

==Political initiation==
Narayanan entered politics at the request of [[Indira Gandhi]] and won three successive general elections to the [[Lok Sabha]] in [[Indian general elections 1977-1999#1984|1984]], [[Indian general elections 1977-1999#1989|1989]] and [[Indian general elections 1977-1999#1991|1991]], as a representative of the [[Ottapalam]] constituency in [[Palakkad]], Kerala, on a [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] ticket.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 April 1993 |title=Ottapalam: Cong still looking for a candidate |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3YVlAAAAIBAJ&dq=k+r+narayanan+indian+express&pg=PA13 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[Indian Express]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=20 June 2017 |title=K R Narayanan to Ram Nath Kovind, a tale of two dalit presidents |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/k-r-narayanan-to-ram-nath-kovind-a-tale-of-two-dalit-presidents/articleshow/59235831.cms?from=mdr |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |via=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]]}}</ref> He was a [[Minister of State]] in the Union cabinet under [[Rajiv Gandhi]], holding the portfolios of Planning (1985), External Affairs (1985–86), and Science and Technology (1986–89).<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 August 1986 |title=Parliament stifles official report on Mrs. Gandhi's death |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UapWAAAAIBAJ&dq=k+r+narayanan+external+affairs&pg=PA14&article_id=5507,5032173 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1 January 1995 |title=Rajiv Gandhi, New Cabinet Sworn In |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LAckAAAAIBAJ&dq=k+r+narayanan+external+affairs&pg=PA2 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=Ocala Star-Banner}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=7 December 1988 |title=India's quest for re-usable space launch vehicles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W4hlAAAAIBAJ&q=india%27s+quest+for+re-usable+space+launch+vehicles&pg=PA10 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[Indian Express]]}}</ref> As a [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|Member of Parliament]], he resisted international pressure to tighten patent controls in India. He sat in the opposition benches when the Congress was voted out of power during 1989–91. Narayanan was not included in the cabinet when the Congress returned to power in 1991. [[K. Karunakaran]], Congress [[Chief Minister of Kerala]], a political adversary of his,<ref name="ptt_int" /> informed him that he was not made a minister because of him being a "Communist [[Fellow traveller|fellow-traveller]]<ref name="ptt_int" />". He did not, however, respond when Narayanan pointed out that he had defeated Communist candidates<ref name="ptt_int" /> ([[A. K. Balan]] and [[Lenin Rajendran]], the latter twice) in all three elections.<ref name=ptt_int />