Udf

Kerala govt forms expert panel to prepare white paper on state finance

The UDF government on Tuesday announced the formation of a special committee to prepare a white paper on Kerala's financial position, following the first UDF Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister V D Satheesan. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of senior Finance Department officials chaired by the chief minister. According to a CMO statement, the committee will be headed by former Cabinet Secretary Dr K M Chandrasekhar. Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) K R Jyothilal has been appointed as the Convener. The panel will also include economist Dr Narayana and Centre for Development Studies (CDS) Director Dr Veeramani as members, the statement said. The white paper is expected to provide a clearer picture of the state's financial health and help guide future policy decisions, the statement added. The UDF has been alleging that the state's finances were in trouble due to mismanagement under the Left rule, an allegation that was strongly rejected by then Finance Minis

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

Cong picks VD Satheesan as Kerala chief minister after days of suspense

The 61-year-old leader is widely credited with the United Democratic Front's (UDF's) historic 102-seat victory in the 16th Assembly elections held last month

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

Exit polls predict UDF return in Kerala as LDF trails in tight race

Exit polls show a setback for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF, strongly favouring the UDF, while the BJP remains on the margins

Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Can welfare shield LDF from anti-incumbency?

Kerala, a state defined by fronts rather than faces, is heading into a high-stakes election. With welfare etched at the core of its political identity, what other factors are shaping the battlefield?

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.

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

Explained: Will Delhi and Mumbai flyers face a massive airport fee shock soon?

A tribunal order on recalculating airport asset values may allow Delhi and Mumbai airports to recover nearly ₹50,000 crore from past tariff cycles.

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 ...