Page 2 - Kerala Assembly Polls

Taking strict action for violation of MCC, poll rules: Kerala CEO

Kerala CEO Rathan U Kelkar has said that the EC is taking strict action against anyone violating the MCC or other election rules both in the physical space and the digital world. The Chief Electoral Officer said that immediately after the elections were announced, it was made clear to all political parties and candidates that they shall abide by the Model Code of Conduct and "any violations will be dealt with strictly". Kelkar said that an FIR has been lodged and an investigation is going in connection with the recent allegedly communal remarks by BJP's Guruvayur assembly seat candidate B Gopalakrishnan. In the incident of a recorded LDF announcement being played in Perambra constituency accusing a UDF candidate of seeking votes on religious grounds, the Returning Officer has sought explanations from the LDF candidate, he said. "Not only in the physical space, but in the digital world also we are taking action against people and any disregard for the rules and everything is being .

PM Modi to address rally, hold roadshow in Kerala today ahead of polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Kerala on Saturday as part of the NDA's election campaign, BJP sources said. The PM is scheduled to attend a public meeting in Thiruvalla and take part in a roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram, they added. Modi will arrive at Thiruvananthapuram airport at around 2.30 pm and will travel by helicopter to Changanassery NSS College ground in Kottayam district, where he is expected to land at 3 pm. From there, he will travel by road for a public meeting at the Thiruvalla stadium where party leaders and NDA candidates from nearby constituencies are expected to be present, the sources said. After the public meeting, the PM will travel to Thiruvananthapuram, where he will hold a road show from Killipalam to Karamana Junction, covering a distance of around 1.5 kilometers, in the evening, they said. The roadshow is expected to draw a large number of party workers and supporters. Senior BJP leaders, including Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan, w

LDF pledges ₹3,000 pension; jobs, growth push in Kerala poll manifesto

Kerala's ruling LDF on Thursday unveiled its Assembly election manifesto, promising a mix of welfare and development measures aimed at improving people's lives across the state. The document was released by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here. The highlights of the manifesto include a commitment to eliminate absolute poverty in the state, a hike in welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 per month, and efforts to ensure proper healthcare and support systems at the local level. The Left government had recently announced that extreme poverty had been eliminated in the state and increased the welfare pension from Rs 1600 to Rs 2000. In its current manifesto, the CPI(M)-led LDF says it plans to identify around five lakh of the poorest families and help them rise above poverty through targeted support. Special focus will be given to vulnerable groups such as the Scheduled Castes, fisherfolk, and Antyodaya beneficiaries. The LDF has also promised better care for the elderly and bedridden ...

BJP's Kerala manifesto promises welfare boost, AIIMS, high-speed rail

Free water, LPG cylinders, ₹2,500 monthly support for needy women among key pledges

Kerala Assembly polls: LDF Ministers, Cong, BJP leaders file nominations

Kerala state ministers, top Congress and BJP leaders filed their nomination papers on Saturday for the upcoming Assembly polls. Several state ministers, including P Rajeev, V Sivankutty, R Bindu and P A Mohamed Riyas as well as CPI(M) leaders K K Shylaja and Kadakampally Surendran were those from the LDF who filed their nominations, from Kalamassery, Nemom, Irinjalakuda, Beypore, Peravur and Kazhakootam constituencies, respectively. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Nemom), former Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan (Kazhakootam) and several other candidates of the saffron party filed their nominations accompanied by chief ministers from party-ruled states like Rajasthan and Gujarat. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma accompanied Chandrasekhar and Muraleedharan when they filed their nominations, while the party candidate from Thrissur, Padmaja Venugopal, was accompanied by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel. From the Congress, KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, senior party leader

Kerala Assembly election: BJP releases third list of 11 candidates

The BJP on Saturday released its third list of 11 candidates for the Kerala Assembly Polls, fielding Karamana Jayan from Thiruvananthapuram. According to the list, Raveendranath Vakathanam will join the fray from Puthuppally, KR Rajesh from Chavara, R S Arun Raj from Chadayamangalam, and V Ratheesh from Peerumade seat. Vivek Gopan will contest from Aruvikkara seat, TN Suresh from Kovalam, and S Rajasekharan Nair from Neyyattinkara seat. The party has fielded Ajimon from Mavelikkara seat, BS Anoop from Chirayinkeezhu, and Pandalam Prathapan from Adoor seat.

Kerala CM accuses Congress, Rahul of being BJP's B-team ahead of polls

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday hit out against the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of being the B-team of the BJP. Vijayan made the accusation during an interview given to PTI videos. In response to a query regarding Rahul's recent remark that central agencies have arrested or called for questioning other opposition leaders in the country, except the Kerala CM, the Marxist veteran accused the Congress leader and his party of acting as the B-team of the BJP. He also accused the Congress of appeasement politics and seeking the support of groups engaged in majority and minority communalism. The CPI(M)-led LDF is against any form of communalism and does not seek the support of any group engaged in communal activities, the CM said. Regarding the Sabarimala gold loss issue, Vijayan said that the investigation of the matter was being monitored by the Kerala High Court, which has not found fault with the probe, irrespective of the claims to the cont

People of Kerala ready for change: Rahul Gandhi pitches for UDF govt

People of Kerala are ready for change, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, as he pitched for a UDF government in the state. "Team UDF is Team Keralam," he said in a post on X. "Each candidate reflects the voice, the aspirations and the trust of the people of Keralam. This is a collective of experienced leaders and young change-makers - a strong team of men and women who understand the intricacies of the constituencies they represent," Gandhi said in his post. "For me, Keralam is home and the people of Keralam are family. I owe a great debt to the people for everything they have taught me and for the love and warmth they have embraced me with - I will always be your partner," the former Wayanad MP said. "The message from Keralam is clear - the people are ready for change, they seek a government that listens, understands, and delivers with honesty. "Along with the coming UDF government, I will do everything to help build a better future for this beautiful state," the leader

W Asia tensions cast uncertainty over 'vote flights' for Keralites in Gulf

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

BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala Assembly polls

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

Change in name of state to Keralam a joyful moment for Malayalis: PM Modi

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

Congress names Tharoor co-chairman of campaign committee for Kerala polls

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

Assembly bypolls: BJP wins Gujarat, Congress bags Kerala, AAP takes Punjab

Voting held on June 19 for bypolls to five Assembly seats - Kadi, Visavadar (Gujarat), Nilambur (Kerala), Ludhiana West (Punjab), and Kaliganj (West Bengal); counting is underway

Story in Numbers: 70+ for MLAs - Tamil Nadu, Kerala elect older leaders

West Bengal, on the other hand, has elected fewer above 70 and a larger number in the age group 25-40

Mamata Banerjee's wheelchair stops the BJP juggernaut in West Bengal

LDF scripts history in Kerala; DMK wins Tamil Nadu; BJP retains Assam, while AINRC+ wins Puducherry

Going gets tougher for Modi govt as election results favour Opposition

Opposition parties are likely to assert themselves in like the GST Council, but more immediately in the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

Counting on smoothly, but website slow due to server overload: EC

The Election Commission on Sunday said the counting process for the five assemblies was going on "smoothly", but its website was slow in displaying trends and results due to server overload

Kerala Assembly elections: Welfare thrust helps left rewrite history

The state alternates between UDF and LDF even when governments perform reasonably well. Except in 1977, no ruling front has been re-elected

Cong 'lost' elections but not its 'morale or resolve' to be people's voice

The Congress on Sunday said it has "lost" elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and West Bengal but has not "lost its morale or resolve" to continue to be people's voice in these tough times

'Will introspect': Congress accepts its mauling in Kerala polls

Top Congress leaders in Kerala on Sunday gracefully accepted their as it seemed the party-led United Democratic Front will, in all likelihood, end up with less seats than 2016