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Kerala Assembly Polls
As the April 9 Kerala Assembly polls approach, anxiety is growing among Gulf-based Keralite voters who are unsure if they will be able to return home to cast their votes this time. The concern is driven mainly by the ongoing tensions in West Asia involving Iran and IsraelUS allies, which have severely disrupted air travel. Thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed, and several countries have partially or fully closed their airspace, affecting major Gulf aviation hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. With limited flight services, frequent cancellations and rising ticket prices, expatriate voters fear that the usual "vote flight" arrangements may not be feasible this time. For years, organisations like the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the overseas wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), have played a key role in helping expatriates participate in elections. During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, hundreds of Keralites working in Gulf countries managed to return hom
Union Minister George Kurian and former Union ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan are among the 47 candidates announced by the BJP in its first list for the Kerala Assembly elections. Fielding a mix of senior leaders and new faces as it prepares for the April 9 polls, the party is hoping to end its electoral drought in the state, where politics has traditionally been dominated by the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF. Among the prominent names in the list are Kurian, Chandrasekhar and Muraleedharan, along with senior leaders K Surendran, Sobha Surendran, P C George, Padmaja Venugopal, P K Krishnadas, former director general of police R Sreelekha and filmmaker Major Ravi. Chandrasekhar will contest from the Nemom Assembly constituency, while Muraleedharan has been fielded from Kazhakkoottam, both key constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram district. Nemom is the only constituency in Kerala that has so far been won by the BJP, when O Rajagopal won the seat in the 20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the change of name of the state from Kerala to Keralam by the Centre was a joyful moment for "Malayali" brothers. The PM was speaking at the golden jubilee celebration of the Akhila Kerala Dheevara Sabha, an organisation which works for welfare of the fishing community in the state. In his inaugural address, Modi appreciated the role of the fishing community during the 2018 floods in Kerala, lauding their courage, service, and dedication at that time. He also pointed out that the Dheevara Sabha has been working for fishermen's rights for 50 years. Modi said the Centre too has been working for the welfare of the fishing community and has carried out various initiatives to empower them. He also said that the Union government has taken various measures, including installing over 4,500 satellite-based transponders in fishing boats, to ensure the safety of fishermen at sea. Modi arrived at the Kochi international airport around 11.30 am a
The Congress on Thursday set up two key panels for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls, with Ramesh Chennithala and Shashi Tharoor appointed chairman and co-chairman, respectively, of the party's campaign committee. Tharoor's appointment assumes significance as it comes days after he met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi for redressal of his grievances, after which he said "all is good" and "we are all on the same page". Since then, Tharoor has been seen speaking prominently for the Congress, and also initiated the discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. Congress president Kharge has approved the proposal for the constitution of the campaign committee and the manifesto committee of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee for the upcoming Assembly elections, a party statement said. While Chennithala has been named the chairman of the campaign committee, Tharoor has been appointed its co-chairman. Congress MP Shafi Parambil will be the