Page 3 - Kerala

VD Satheesan sworn in as Kerala CM, 20 Cabinet ministers also take oath

V D Satheesan on Monday took oath as Kerala's Chief Minister, and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to the Congress Legislature Party leader here. Satheesan took oath in the name of God. Besides Satheesan, his 20-member Cabinet will also be sworn in by the Governor. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, attended the swearing-in ceremony. Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Left leaders, and BJP representatives also attended the ceremony. Thousands of Congress workers arrived in the state capital from across Kerala for the event. The Assembly elections to the 140-member House were held on April 9, with the results declared on May 4. The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats, while the LDF secured 35 and the BJP won three.

VD Satheesan: Lawyer, debater and face of Congress' comeback, now Kerala CM

Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan, who was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Kerala on Monday, is a lawyer-turned-politician from Kochi who rose through the ranks of the Congress party with a reputation for sharp speeches and organisational discipline. Known for his calm public style and aggressive attacks on the Left government inside the Assembly, V D Satheesan--called VD or VDS by his supporters--became the face of the Congress revival in Kerala after he was made Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly five years ago. As Leader of the Opposition, Satheesan put the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government on defensive mode on various issues, including alleged nepotism and financial irregularities, pushed the Congress towards younger leadership and a more energetic campaign. He led the Congress-led UDF to power in the April 9 polls, marking the alliance's return to power in Kerala after a decade. Supporters see him as practical and accessible, while critics say his biggest

VD Satheesan to take oath as Kerala CM today, UDF cabinet to be sworn-in

After a decade-long Left rule, Kerala is all set for a regime change on Monday, with a 21-member UDF cabinet led by Congress leader V D Satheesan set to be sworn in at the state capital at 10 am. Preparations have been completed at Central Stadium, where a massive stage has been set up for the oath-taking ceremony. Workers have put up temporary rain shelters and arranged seating for thousands of party workers, national political figures, and local dignitaries. Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge and top party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others are scheduled to attend the swearing-in. Kerala joins Karnataka and Telangana to become the third Congress ruled state in south in the recent times. Tight security arrangements have been put in place across the state capital ahead of the high-profile event. Special traffic arrangements have also been made in view of the large number of VIPs and UDF supporters arriving in the city. Traffic and parking regulations

CM-designate V D Satheesan anchors hope on Kerala's blue economy

The CM-designate draws a revival road map amid state's economic challenges, explains Shine Jacob

Southwest monsoon likely to set in over Kerala on May 26, says IMD

The monsoon, the primary rain-bearing system, normally arrives in Kerala around June 1 and advances northwards to cover other parts of the country

Monsoon likely to hit Kerala by May 26; heatwave to prevail over north

The India Meteorological Department on Friday said that the southwest monsoon is likely to set over Kerala on May 26, with a model error of ± 4 days

Vadassery Damodaran Satheesan wins the race for Kerala chief minister

V D Satheesan has emerged as Kerala's next chief minister after the Congress leadership backed the popular Opposition leader following strong support from party workers and the public

NIA takes over probe into seizure of gelatin sticks, detonators in Kerala

The NIA has taken over the probe into the seizure of a large quantity of gelatin sticks and detonators from Tirurangadi in Kerala's Malappuram district in February this year, officials said on Thursday. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case last month and recently approached the Judicial First Class Magistrate-I court in Parappanangadi seeking transfer of case records to its special court in Kochi, sources said. The case relates to the seizure of 89,600 gelatin sticks concealed in 448 boxes, along with 10,500 non-electric shock tube detonators, from an onion-laden lorry at Chemmad near Tirurangadi on February 7, 2026. Acting on a tip-off, police raided a brick manufacturing unit where a lorry carrying onions was parked and found people unloading the explosives from it. Officials at the Tirurangadi police station said the case has been handed over to the central agency. "We had arrested six persons in connection with the case. Though our probe indicated that th

Labour drift: South India industry feels absence of Bengal, Assam workers

Companies in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are offering incentives to migrant workers amid concerns over jobs, fuel costs and the impact of the West Asia crisis

Congress to announce its Kerala chief ministerial pick on Thursday

Kerala is likely to know the name of its next Chief Minister later on Wednesday, with indications that the Congress high command could make an announcement before noon. The delay in the decision has kept the camps of three top contenders--AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala on edge. As the Congress leadership continued discussions over the selection of Kerala's next Chief Minister, party leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) presidents in Delhi to gather their views and help end the prolonged uncertainty. Sources said the Kerala leaders called to Delhi by the party leadership during crucial discussions on Tuesday expressed their views on the Chief Ministerial choice, with the names of Venugopal, Satheesan and Chennithala figuring prominently in the consultations as the high command continued its deliberations. Former KPCC chief K Muraleedharan, after meeting Gandhi

NEET-UG 2026: Kerala student linked to Rajasthan guess paper circulation

The origins of a guess paper containing questions similar to those asked in NEET-UG 2026 medical exam were traced to a student from Rajasthan's Sikar pursuing MBBS in Kerala who went on to share it with his friends and a hostel owner, a senior official of the state's Special Operation's Group said. IG, Special Operations Group (SOG), Ajay Pal Lamba said the student first received the material from a friend and shared it with others in Sikar. The document subsequently reached several coaching students and later reached candidates in Jaipur and nearby areas before the exam that was held on May 3. Another official said the student from Kerala forwarded the guess paper with a hostel owner in Sikar and some of his friends. The hostel owner shared the guess papers to students living in the hostel, saying it could be helpful. However, the hostel owner himself later tipped off the local police about the guess paper. He had informed that a question bank had been distributed among a large ..

Assam and Kerala assembly election results: Key highlights | BJP | UDF

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA secures a big win in Assam, with Himanta Biswa Sarma set for a second term as Chief Minister. Meanwhile, in Kerala

Kerala CM suspense continues: Is there a deadline to form the govt?

Kerala's CM decision remains pending even after Congress-led UDF's decisive win, as contention among the three top leaders delays the decision, raising questions on government formation timelines

Decision on Kerala CM likely in 24 hours: Congress leader Muraleedharan

As lobbying intensifies among the three top contenders for the chief minister's post, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan on Saturday said the party high command was likely to take a final decision on Kerala's next CM within 24 hours. The UDF's sweeping Assembly poll victory in Kerala has triggered a wave of lobbying and demonstrations by the supporters of senior leaders V D Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and K C Venugopal, urging the Congress leadership to select the respective leaders as the new CM. "The information from Delhi is that discussions on the chief ministerial candidate will be completed within 24 hours," Muraleedharan told reporters. Acknowledging public fervour, he emphasised that flex boards and marches alone would not determine the leadership. He added that the views of MLAs and coalition partners would also be considered by the Congress leadership. "I will not publicly reveal what I told the high command representatives. I have conveyed the sentiments of the pe

Centre plans fresh push for PM SHRI rollout in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala

The Ministry of Education is making a fresh attempt to implement the PM SHRI scheme in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala amid efforts to widen rollout

Malayalam actor Santosh K Nair dies in road accident, wife hospitalised

Malayalam actor Santhosh K Nayar passed away Tuesday morning after a road accident in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. His wife, who was with him in the vehicle, is being treated at the hospital

Kerala election results: UDF's welfare dreams amid fiscal headwinds

UDF's expansive welfare promises in Kerala face scrutiny as high debt, fiscal deficit and limited capital spending raise questions on sustainability

Tripura, Kerala top list of best-governed panchayats in India: PAI 2.0

Data shows that in Tripura, out of the total 1,176 gram panchayats which submitted data for the index, almost 943 (80.2 per cent) have figured in category 'A' as per the index

Strong rooms, unsealed rooms shouldn't be opened under any circumstance: EC

The Election Commission on Tuesday issued clear directions to all District Election Officers and Returning Officers in Kerala not to open any strong rooms under any circumstances before the day the votes are counted. The direction was issued by Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar following reports of a strong room storing EVMs in Perambra constituency in Kozhikode being opened on Monday, and reported plans to open another one in Nenmara constituency in Palakkad. "It has been reiterated that under no circumstances shall any strong rooms or unsealed rooms be opened or accessed for the purpose of preparing Index Cards or verifying data in the ENCORE portal. "All concerned officers have been directed to ensure strict compliance with these instructions to safeguard the integrity, transparency, and security of the electoral process," a statement issued by Kelkar's office said. On Monday, the Kozhikode district administration had clarified that no strong room was opened. Colle

Extreme heat: Kerala Disaster Management Authority issues public advisory

In view of rising temperatures across Kerala, the KSDMA has issued a comprehensive set of precautionary guidelines for the public to prevent heat-related illnesses. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), in a post on its social media handle, warned that extreme heat could lead to serious health conditions such as sunstroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration, urging people to take adequate safety measures. According to the advisory, the public should avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight between 11 am and 3 pm. People have been advised to stay hydrated by drinking sufficient quantities of clean water even if they do not feel thirsty, while avoiding beverages like alcohol, coffee, tea, and carbonated drinks that may cause dehydration during the daytime. Wearing loose, light-coloured cotton clothing and using protective gear such as umbrellas, hats, and footwear while stepping outdoors have also been recommended. The KSDMA further suggested increasing the intake