Page 3 - Kerala Assembly Polls

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

Orders on victory processions being flouted: EC tells political parties

The Election Commission on Sunday told political parties that its ban on victory processions during and after counting of votes is being flouted.

EC orders FIR over celebratory congregation in anticipation of poll victory

The Election Commission Sunday said it has taken a stern view of reports of congregation of people to celebrate anticipated victory

Left consolidates lead in Kerala as counting moves into top gear

By reaching the halfway mark in many of the 140 constituencies, the indications are that the Left is set to rewrite the state's electoral history by becoming the first government to retain power

Exit polls: Cliffhanger seen in Bengal; DMK may win Tamil Nadu, LDF Kerala

While some exit polls gave an edge to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, others said the BJP was heading towards power in the state

Assembly polls: EC bans victory processions on or after counting of votes

The Election Commission on Tuesday banned all victory processions on or after counting of votes in states where assembly polls were held, sources said citing an order

Most poll-bound states, save Tamil Nadu, kept testing low till elections

Covid-19 testing usually speeds up when local reports indicate a rising positivity rate. But Kerala and Assam dragged on till polls were over, while in West Bengal testing is still disastrously low

Kerala's education minister's resignation shows not all is well in CPI-M

The unexpected resignation of Kerala Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel, often known as the blue eyed boy of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shows that all's not well in the CPI-M in Kerala