Page 3 - Kerala

Sabarimala issue: 'Even God is not safe' in Kerala, alleges FM Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday raised the Sabarimala gold loss issue during an NDA poll campaign event at Perumbavoor and said even 'God is not safe' in Kerala. While addressing party workers during a roadshow, she said the southern state may be known as 'God's Own Country'. "But God is not safe in Kerala. Even Lord Ayyappa's gold was taken away. So, my humble request is that...we don't want UDF and LDF anymore in the state," Sitharaman said. Launching a scathing attack on the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF, she accused the traditional fronts of mismanaging Kerala's economy through alternate stints in power. "The UDF and the LDF cannot go on like this. Because Kerala's economy is in a very bad state," the finance minister said. She claimed that the state's financial condition had worsened significantly, alleging that industries were in decline and entrepreneurs were finding it difficult to sustain operations in Kerala. Citing prominent ...

No ads by political parties in media on Apr 8, 9 without MCMC clearance: EC

The Election Commission has directed all political parties and candidates contesting in the Kerala Assembly polls on April 9, not to publish any advertisements in print media, on polling day and its eve, without getting the contents pre-certified by the MCMC committee. The directive, issued by Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar late Friday night, stated that offending, misleading, or inflammatory advertisements published in print media during the final stages of an election can vitiate the entire electoral process. "At such a critical juncture, affected parties and candidates often lack the opportunity to provide necessary rebuttals," it said. Therefore, exercising the powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, the EC directed that no political party, candidate, organisation, or person shall publish any advertisement in print media on April 8 and 9 unless the contents are got pre-certified from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) at the state or ..

Kerala elections: Ageing voters in state seek pensions, security, dignity

For 81-year-old Krishnamma, the high-stakes April 9 Kerala Assembly elections boils down to a single, urgent question. When party workers arrived at the doorstep of her modest, tile-roofed home in the hill hamlet of Vithura to seek a vote, she didn't want to hear about manifestos or political rivalries. Instead, she looked at them and asked, "When will I get my next pension payment?" For thousands like her, the election is not just about politics, it is about survival, dignity and the assurance of care in the twilight years. In a state often celebrated for its human development indicators, a silent demographic shift is underway, with Kerala's ageing population currently at 16.5 per cent -- the highest in the country -- and senior citizens forming a significant, powerful voting bloc. The issues of elderly people are quite different from the voters of other age groups, as they want consistent disbursal of monthly pensions, medical facilities at their doorsteps and constructive means o

Shashi Tharoor's gunman, driver attacked in Kerala's Malappuram, one held

A person has been taken into custody after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's gunman and driver were allegedly attacked by a five-member group at Wandoor here, police said on Saturday. According to Wandoor Police, a case has been registered, and one person is currently in custody. Police said the case was registered based on a complaint lodged by Tharoor's gunman, Ratheesh K P. As per the FIR, the incident occurred at Chellithode near Thiruvali in Wandoor at around 7.30 pm on Friday. Police officials said the incident took place when there was a roadblock at the Chelithode bridge as Tharoor was on his way to attend an election campaign event of Congress leader A P Anilkumar. According to the FIR, the accused, who were travelling in two vehicles, blocked the MP's vehicle. When the gunman attempted to clear the obstruction, he and the driver were allegedly attacked, the FIR said. Police said the road was narrow and the gunman had only asked the vehicle ahead to move faster to ensure smo

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

Job revolution a pillar of our road map for Kerala: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

BJP's Kerala chief outlines poll strategy, targets ldf-udf rule, pushes development agenda, jobs plan and minority outreach while seeking mandate to form government in state

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 ...

Congress-led UDF releases manifesto for Kerala Assembly elections

The Congress-led UDF on Thursday released its manifesto for April 9 Assembly polls in Kerala, promising free travel for women on all Kerala state transport buses, hike in welfare pension to Rs 3,000 per month and a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to college-going girl students. Giving details of the manifesto, Congress leader V D Satheesan said that Rs 25 lakh insurance scheme will be provided to every family in Kerala, and small businesses will get an interest-free loan of Rs 5 lakh. The manifesto also promises development of the airline sector in the state, revision of wages of scheme workers, like ASHA and Anganwadi workers, financial assistance to MSMEs having turnover of Rs 100 crore, and a tribal university in Wayanad.

Rare earth corridors will reduce import dependence: Jitendra Singh

The dedicated rare earth corridors proposed in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu aim to reduce import dependence and enhance domestic capability in the strategic sector, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said the corridors would focus on mining, processing, research, and manufacturing and help align these initiatives with national priorities, such as becoming self-reliant and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. "India's import reliance on key minerals used for the production of items in strategic sectors such as electronics, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and defence manufacturing can be regulated through the RE corridor by boosting local sourcing enhancing strategic self-reliance," Singh said. The minister also stated that a joint working group (JWG) consisting of members representing all stakeholders had been constituted for formulation of guidelines (SOP) to establish dedicated rare ..

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

HDFC Bank chairman's sudden exit exposes leadership rifts at top lender

HDFC Bank management and India's banking regulator denied any governance or financial problems at the lender, but its stock fell 12 per cent over three days after Chakraborty's exit

Keralam CM writes to PM Modi expressing concerns over FCRA Amendment Bill

Chief Minister pointed out that the existing FCRA, 2010, is sufficient to address any actions that go against public interest

Two EC officials relieved of poll duties over BJP seal issue in Kerala

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar on Saturday sent the Deputy CEO and a section officer back to their parent departments over an EC document sent to political parties that bore a BJP seal. The decision was taken following an inquiry into the incident conducted by Additional CEO P B Nooh, IAS, a statement from EC said. Based on the inquiry report, the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and the section officer were relieved of their election-related duties and sent back to their parent departments, the statement added. The controversy surfaced after the CPI(M) flagged the issue on the social media platform 'X', sharing an affidavit attached to a March 19, 2019, letter sent to political parties that bore the BJP Kerala seal instead of the Election Commission's official seal. The EC had termed it a "purely clerical error" and said it had been rectified immediately. It also said that the official responsible for the error had been placed under suspension.

Kerala did not avail ₹311 cr national disaster mitigation fund: Sitharaman

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday told the Lok Sabha that approval for central grants is one thing and applying for the amount by the states is another thing as she mentioned that Kerala did not avail Rs 311.95 crore as part of national disaster mitigation fund. The minister was responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour on the arrears of grants and amounts pending from the central government towards Kerala. Sitharaman, who is in charge of the finance and corporate affairs ministries, said a state has to provide the utilisation certificate so that the next round of funds can be released. For instance, she said there was a specific case related to Kerala where despite the allocation, the Kerala government has not even drawn the amount. An amount of Rs 311.95 for the National Disaster Mitigation Fund that includes Rs 72 crore for risk mitigation project in the landslide-affected territories of Wayanad. Another Rs 17.73 crore was approved for forest fire mitigat

Three poles in poll fray: Kerala boasts literacy, low poverty, but not jobs

Kerala heads into a three-cornered electoral contest amid strong social indicators, fiscal stress, and a persistent jobs crisis

Kerala approaches Centre to verify reports of native's death in Israel

The Kerala government has approached the Centre seeking the authenticity of reports regarding the death of a man from the state in the war-hit region of Israel. When contacted, the NORKA officials told PTI on Saturday that they received the information from a collective of Keralites working in Israel and therefore approached the Centre to confirm it. NORKA is a state-run agency that oversees matters related to non-resident Keralites. According to local media reports, the deceased man was a Thiruvananthapuram native and his cause of death was yet to be ascertained. A member of a WhatsApp group of Keralites working in Israel, told PTI that they got the information about the death on Wednesday and they are also trying to collect further details.

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 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