P A Muhammad Riyas is a first-time MLA, winning Beypore by a margin of 28,747 votes. He is the national president of DYFI and a CPM state committee member.

Hailing from Kozhikode, Riyas had his education from St Joseph Boys' High School, Farook College and Law College, Kozhikode. He was active in SFI during his student days, and was an office-bearer of the Calicut University Union in 1998.

Riyas had functioned as the Kozhikode district president and secretary of DYFI; secretary of Kozhikode City Motor and Engineering Union; and president of CITU-affiliated city autorickshaw drivers' organization.

He had unsuccessfully contested to Lok Sabha against M K Raghavan from Kozhikode in 2014.

Riyas is married to Veena Vijayan, IT professional, and daughter of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.