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Amit Shah accuses LDF, UDF of appeasement and shielding PFI in Kerala

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed both the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the opposition Congress-led UDF alleging the regimes steered by them only created corruption, followed appeasement politics and made Kerala a safe haven for "anti-national forces", like the Popular Front of India (PFI). Addressing party workers here, Shah said only the BJP-led NDA can bring development to the state and not the LDF or the UDF. 'Viksit Bharat' is not possible without the development of strong southern states and the route to 'Viksit Bharat' is only through 'Viksit Keralam,' he said. "Therefore, from now, the basic aim of the BJP will be a 'Viksit Keralam'," he underlined. The top BJP leader said it was more important for the BJP to ensure that its state office here becomes the "centre of Viksit Keralam" than having a Chief Minister. He also unveiled the logo of the party's Viksit Keralam mission. During his speech, he hit out at the CPI(M)-headed LDF and the Congress-led UDF alleging

Tourism minister not to blame for inviting Jyoti Malhotra to Kerala: UDF

The Congress-led UDF opposition on Tuesday said neither the Tourism Department nor the minister heading it can be blamed for inviting social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra, suspected of spying for Pakistan, to the state for promoting its tourism sector. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said had the government known she was a spy, it would not have invited her to the state. "No one knew she was carrying out espionage when she was here. So, what can be done about that? We are a responsible opposition, we do not blame the government unnecessarily," he said. At the same time, he also said that had CPI(M) been in the opposition, it would have demanded the resignation of the Tourism Minister over the issue. The opposition leader was replying to reporters' queries regarding the state government inviting Malhotra to Kerala for promoting its tourism. The issue assumes importance as BJP leader K Surendran recently questioned why "a Pak-linked spy's trip" was sponsor

Kerala boy's death from electric trap becomes flashpoint in Nilambur bypoll

Fifteen-year-old Ananthu's death by an illegal electric trap has raised serious concerns about law enforcement, rural safety, and political accountability ahead of the Nilambur bye-election

Delhi airport's fee hike: Do other airports charge passengers similarly?

Delhi International Airport Ltd's proposal to introduce a class-based user development fee structure gets the green light. Here's a look at how major global airports charge flyers

MIAL seeks user levy on domestic flyers, and 3.5x hike for int'l travel

To balance the impact of the increased UDF, Adani Group-led MIAL said it has also proposed a reduction of approximately 35 per cent in aircraft landing and parking charges

Kerala ASHA workers live on hope as promised wage hike remains elusive

As women health care workers' protest enters 30th day amid political blame game, ADITI PHADNIS explores the Centre-state funding ratio debate

Kerala govt to be blamed for ASHA workers' situation, not Centre: BJP

The Kerala unit of the BJP on Tuesday backed the ongoing protest by a section of ASHA workers by holding a march by the party's women's wing Mahila Morcha to the Secretariat here and claimed that the Centre was not responsible for the situation. Expressing solidarity with the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, who have been agitating outside the Secretariat for the last 23 days demanding a hike in their honorarium and post-retirement benefits, BJP state president K Surendran said the Centre is being unnecessarily blamed by the Kerala government. "It is the state government's failure and not the Centre's," he contended. Surendran said the union government has not held back any funds meant for Kerala and ASHA workers. He said that he fully supports the ASHA workers demand to hike their honorarium and termed their protest as justified. Along with him, senior BJP leaders Shobha Surendran and P K Krishnadas were also present outside the Secretariat expressing solidarity

Kerala open to discuss new projects with Adani group: State min P Rajeev

Kerala is not averse to discussing any new project with the Adani group and will do so only if there is a "win-win" situation which benefits the people of the state as well, a senior state minister has said. However, the southern state is not keen to have any big industries which will cause pollution and ecological damage, P Rajeev, the Minister of Law, Industries and Coir, told PTI. The comments from the minister come even as there seems to be some unease among southern states when it comes to dealing with the Adani group, especially after the second richest Indian Gautam Adani and others faced charges of bribing officials to secure contracts. Rajeev said Kerala has a big investment from the Adani group in the Vizhinjam Seaport near its capital Thiruvananthapuram and added that the current government decided to go ahead with the project signed by the predecessors only because the benefits accrued to the state and its people through the ambitious transshipment port. He also clarifi

Kerala govt failed to utilise central funds for Wayanad rehabilitation: BJP

The BJP on Sunday accused the Left government in Kerala of "failing" to utilise the central funds in the SDRF and the NDRF for the relief and rehabilitation of Wayanad landslide survivors and carrying out "fake propaganda" against the union government. The saffron party said that the Narendra Modi government has provided sufficient funds to Kerala through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). "The Pinarayi government is sitting on available funds and blames the Centre," senior BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar alleged in a social media post. In a hard-hitting X post, he said the Centre has allocated over Rs 500 crore for this purpose through SDRF, which already has a balance of approximately Rs 700 crore. "The state has failed to utilise the Rs 700 crore in the calamity fund. People world over have donated to CM Relief fund. This is also not used. This is the hypocrisy of LDF and UDF, and their fake propaganda has

Kerala HC slams Wayanad 'hartals' by LDF & UDF, calls it 'unacceptable'

The court questioned how the hartal could be justified and asked why the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF went for it

LDF, UDF hold hartal in landslide-hit Wayanad over lack of Central aid

The dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the ruling LDF and opposition UDF in Wayanad district in Kerala on Tuesday saw shops largely remaining closed and vehicles blocked in many areas. The CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-headed UDF announced hartals separately to protest against the lack of Central assistance for the landslide victims in the mountain district even months after the disaster. Both the ruling and the opposition parties wanted the BJP-led union government to declare the landslide calamity as a national disaster and provide required assistance for the relief and rehabilitation of the survivors at the earliest. While the LDF alleged that the denying of Central assistance to Wayanad was due to political reasons and the union government had grudges towards the state, the UDF criticised the Left government in the state for the continuing plight of the landslide survivors. In many places, those supporting the hartal blocked vehicles, causing traffic snarls since morning. The ...

'Namesakes' cause trouble for UDF candidates in Palakkad, Chelakkara seats

The namesakes of prominent candidates contesting as independents have impacted election outcomes in the past and the strategy appears to be making a comeback in the assembly bypolls in Palakkad and Chelakkara constituencies. As the three major political fronts -- LDF, UDF and NDA -- enter the second phase campaigns, three individuals with names resembling those of the Congress-led UDF candidates have entered the race as independents in the two assembly seats. In the Palakkad constituency, where a triangular contest is unfolding, two independent candidates -- Rahul Manalazhi and Rahul R Vadakanthara -- are posing a challenge for the UDF, which has fielded Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil. The grand old party alleged that these namesake candidates are backed by the CPI(M) and the BJP to confuse voters. "Our initial inquiries indicate that one candidate is a CPI(M) worker while the other is supported by the BJP. However, such tactics would not impact the UDF's prospec

Priyanka Gandhi will not be with people of Wayanad: LDF candidate

Ruling LDF candidate in Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll Sathyan Mokeri on Wednesday criticised his UDF counterpart Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for leaving the constituency soon after filing nominations and said she would not be with the people of the hill segment if she wins from here. Like her brother Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka would also come here and go as a guest, and she wouldn't be present in the constituency, he alleged. The Left candidate came out with the criticism a day after Priyanka wrapped up her first round of corner meetings in the constituency as part of the campaign for the November 13 polls. A senior leader of the CPI and a former MLA, Mokeri, said the people of Wayanad experienced the result of electing Rahul Gandhi in the past five years and the voters could not even see him. He accused Rahul Gandhi of abandoning Wayanad the very next day after he was elected for the second time during the April Lok Sabha polls. "Now, the UDF candidate (Priyanka Gandhi) left the constituency s

Fair probe required on complaint accusing Kerala CM of stirring Left: UDF

The Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday demanded a fair probe into the complaint against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accusing him of making a speech instigating brutal assaults against Youth Congress members during the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme of the government last year. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan made the demand in a submission in the House where he contended that a magisterial court has ordered a probe against the CM on the complaint. Responding to the submission on behalf of the CM, state Excise and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M B Rajesh said that the court has only asked the police to investigate whether there are sufficient grounds to proceed further with the complaint. "The court ordered the police to investigate under section 202 (1) of the CrPC as to whether there are sufficient reasons to proceed with the complaint and submit a report," Rajesh said. The court order of October 3 came on a complaint by Ernakulam ..

UDF to hold protest in Kerala capital on Monday over Hema Committee report

Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will hold a protest on Monday in front of the Secretariat, the administrative hub here, accusing the Left government of protecting culprits reportedly mentioned in the Justice K Hema Committee report. The opposition would also protest against the alleged protection given by the Pinarayi Vijayan government to those who had created and propagated the controversial "kafir" screenshot in Vadakara constituency during the time of the recent Lok Sabha polls. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, would inaugurate the agitation in front of the Secretariat on September 2 morning, a statement said on Sunday. UDF Convenor M M Hassan, KPCC president K Sudhakaran, other prominent front leaders including P K Kunhalikutty, P J Joseph, C P John, Anoop Jacob and Sibu Baby John would take part in the protest, it added. The opposition has been accusing the state government of protecting predators and ignoring the revelations of

Student migration dangerous, says UDF; Left govt terms it global phenomenon

The Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday said in the state assembly that the increasing student migration from Kerala was a dangerous trend which if not addressed, would result in the southern state becoming the home of elderly people. The Left government, however, brushed it aside, saying it was a global phenomenon that was not confined to Kerala alone. The issue was raised by the UDF while seeking adjournment of the House proceedings to discuss the matter, permission for which was denied by the Speaker after the state government said that student migrations were a normal trend and an outcome of globalisation. Following the denial of permission for the motion to adjourn the House, the opposition staged a walkout, alleging that the government and the state higher education minister were "in denial mode" and not acknowledging the danger posed by student migration. State Higher Education Minister R Bindu claimed that student migration was a "global phenomenon" following globalisat

Over 300 residents in Kerala society seek treatment for food poisoning

Over 300 people, including children, living in an apartment complex in Kakkanad near here sought treatment for food poisoning in the last couple of days, prompting municipal and health authorities to inspect the water sources used by the residents of the flats. Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday said that she was informed a day ago by some residents of the apartment complex in Thrikkakara municipality that over the last few days, several hundred people have fallen sick there. "I immediately ordered an inspection of the area by health officials and a medical team from Ernakulam visited the apartment complex and examined all their water sources. They also spoke to residents and took a list of the people who fell sick and sought treatment in private hospitals," she said. The minister said that it appears to be a serious issue as there have been instances of water contamination in the recent past in the city and thousands of families are living in the apartment complex. The

BJP's Thrissur win, vote share rise mark Kerala political shift: Analysts

The BJP's sterling performance in Kerala, winning from Thrissur and increasing its vote share in many constituencies in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, clearly indicates a shift in the political landscape of the southern state, say noted political analysts. Besides actor-politician Suresh Gopi winning from Thrissur, the BJP-led NDA saw its vote share rise from over 15 per cent in 2019 to nearly 20 per cent now. Analysts indicate that Kerala's political landscape is evolving from a traditionally bipolar contest dominated by Congress-led UDF and CPI(M)-led LDF to a tripolar scenario. This shift, which has been gradually happening since the 2011 Assembly elections, is now becoming more evident. The 2024 Parliamentary elections in Kerala confirm this shift, as NDA made major inroads into the electorate in Kerala, garnering nearly 20 per cent vote share in many constituencies they contested in, they said. According to them, constituencies like Thrissur, which NDA won, and the increased vote

Centre not solely responsible for Kerala's financial woes: Cong-led UDF

As the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala is holding a protest in the national capital against the alleged neglect by the Centre, the Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday reiterated that the union government was not solely responsible for the southern state's financial woes. Leader of Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan said that the UDF did not join the LDF protest in Delhi as "they created a narrative blaming the Central government for all the financial problems of the state to hide their mismanagement, extravagance and corruption". The opposition has been saying this for some time. He also termed as "lies" and "an inflated figure" the Left government's claims that around Rs 57,000 crore was to be received from the Centre. Satheesan also claimed that what the Left government said in the Supreme Court was different from what it said in Delhi and what was said in the state assembly regarding the financial woes of Kerala. He also claimed that the Left government moved t

Javadekar accuses LDF and UDF of hypocrisy, says 'Bharat has changed'

The ruling LDF and opposition UDF in Kerala came under sharp criticism from senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday for their criticism of the State's involvement in the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration ceremony, as he accused them of hypocrisy. He also asserted "Bharat has changed." Both the CPI-M-led LDF and opposition UDF, headed by the Congress had slammed the saffron party on Monday for allegedly turning the consecration ceremony into a state-sponsored event. Javadekar argued that the ceremony was organised by the trust responsible for building the Shri Ram temple with public donations, rather than being a state-sponsored event. "Bharat has changed. But, You are not. Both LDF and Congress are hypocrites. People will not forgive you but forget you!," Javadekar said in a post on 'X'. Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the rituals related to the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on Monday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said India's firs