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May 2004
Rain, Rain, Come Again
Monday, May 31, 2004
In a coup of sorts in the Indian film industry, colourful film posters will now display crewmembers behind the camera, courtesy director Jayram. High on confidence after the success of his "4 the People" with a group of newcomers, Jayram has posed for the posters of his forthcoming film "Rain, Rain, Come Again". Splashed along with him is music director Jassie Gift, who made an A.R. Rahman-ish debut with "Lajjavathiye", the song from "4 the People" that became a rage. The music wizard has been given the opportunity to prove his capabilities in the new film. He will also star in the film with a bunch of newcomers.
IUML to take up leadership change with allies
Monday, May 31, 2004
PTI KOZHIKODE: IUML, the second largest partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF in Kerala, on Sunday said it would take up with other allies as well as Congress high command the issue of leadership change in the state in the wake of the Front's rout in the Lok Sabha polls. The IUML state committee which met here to take stock of the situation after the poll debacle constituted a two-member committee to hold talks with allies on several issues, including change of guard and cabinet reshuffle, party state General Secretary and Industries Minister in the A K Antony government P K Kunhalikutty told reporters. Minister of State for External Affairs and IUML All India General Secretary E Ahmed is the other member of the Committee, he said. Issues, including leadership change in the state and cabinet reshuffle, would be taken up for detailed discussions with the allies, Kunhalikutty said. The IUML would also take up the matter with Congress high command.
UN requests Govt to train Iraqi policemen
Monday, May 31, 2004
PTI THRISSUR: Kerala government has received a request from the United Nations, exploring the possibilities of imparting training to Iraqi policemen at the Kerala Police Academy here, a top police official said on Saturday. Inspector General of Police and Joint Director of Kerala Police Academy , Alexander Jacob, told PTI on Saturday that the request had come through the Union government about a month back. "No decision has been taken in this regard yet," he added.
Kerala may see cabinet reshuffle
Monday, May 31, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 29 : A cabinet reshuffle may be on the cards in Kerala even as Chief Minister A.K. Antony holds on to his chair despite his Congress party's rout in the general elections in the state. Antony has lost his cool on several occasions on being asked what his future course of action will be after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won just one of the 20 Lok Sabha seats from Kerala. The answer is the same every time: the Congress national leadership and the UDF will decide. "A leadership change is not in the agenda of the UDF at all," said UDF convenor and Antony confidant Oommen Chandy. Antony knows that none of the allies will dare ask for a leadership change because the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kerala Congress (Mani), the second and third largest UDF allies respectively, lost a seat each in their supposed strongholds. The UDF is to meet here Tuesday. The Congress party is also meeting here Tuesday and Wednesday to take stock of the situation. Already senior leader K. Karunakaran, Antony's rival until recently, and his son and daughter have come out in support of the beleaguered chief minister and publicly said that he need not resign. "We are not going to ask Antony to step down. Instead we will certainly ask that the home ministry be removed from him and be given to a senior Congress leader," a UDF legislator told. Among those widely expected to get the home portfolio is Chandy. Also expected to be included in the cabinet are Aryadan Mohammed and Speaker Vakkom Purushothmanan, in case the Congress decides to have a reshuffle. If Chandy becomes a minister, Karunakaran will eye the post of UDF convenor. People are also wondering what position will be given to Karunakaran's son K. Muraleedharan who resigned as state Congress party chief to become a minister but was defeated in the Wadakanchery assembly by-election May 10.
Kerala rethinking IT propaganda
Monday, May 31, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The electoral reverses of the IT savvy governments in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka has apparently prompted a rethink on the part of their Kerala counterpart. Though the state IT department has claimed success in the Akshaya e-governance project in Malappuram district, it is going slow on its replication in the other 13 districts of the state, changing earlier plans. The original programme was to take the project that made e-literate at least one person from every family in Malappuram district to other districts from the beginning of this financial year. "It has been decided that this programme would be studied seriously and implemented in the other 13 districts after looking into whether there has been any lacunae. The government wants it to be 100 per cent foolproof before it is replicated in the 13 districts", a source in the IT department said. Since President A P J Abdul Kalam launched the project in November 2002, some 615 Akshaya centres have opened in Malappuram, making e-literate 6,00,000 people in one of the educationally backward districts in the state. State IT Minister P.K. Kunjalikutty had told the legislative assembly before the Lok Sabha elections that the government has earmarked Rs. 250 million ($5.5 million) in the budget to implement the programme in other districts. Under it, for Rs. 20 each person got a 10-hour lesson on the basics of computer through interactive games. The gram panchayat, or village council, paid the Akshaya centre Rs. 120 for each person it trained. "Since all these centres now have broadband connectivity, people in Malapurram do frequent these centres for Internet browsing and many people have started taking advanced courses in IT. "People there are now waiting for these centres to become collection centres of water, electricity and telephone bills and very soon this is expected to begin," Geeta Pius, the IT Mission coordinator, said.
Anti-ADB protest turns violent
Monday, May 31, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Several DYFI activists and policemen suffered minor injuries following clashes between the DYFI activists and the police in front of the Institute of Management (IMG) here on Friday. The DYFI activists tried to barge into the Institute during a meeting between a delegation of the officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and representatives of the State Government. Traffic along the PMG-Law College Junction road was disrupted for several hours after the DYFI workers laid siege to the road in front of the IMG demanding action against the policemen who had allegedly attacked its workers. The police had arrested 30 DYFI workers on Thursday, after they barged into the IMG during a meeting between the ADB delegation and the representatives of the Government. Earlier in the day, over 50 DYFI activists led by DYFI all-India president K.N.Balagopal took out a march to the IMG raising ‘go back’ slogans against the ADB. The clash occurred after the police prevented the DYFI workers from barging into the IMG. The DYFI activists also pelted stones at the IMG building.
Pampa Action Plan: TDB to invite tenders
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Pampa Action Plan: TDB to invite tenders 28-May-2004 PATHANAMTHITTA: The Travancore Devaswom Board will invite tenders soon for the implementation of the projects under the first phase of the Pampa Action Plan, covering Sannidhanam and Pampa. Talking to media, TDB president N. Babu said that the board had directed its chief engineer to invite tenders for various projects to the tune of about Rs 6 crore, including a sewage treatment plant at Sannidhanam, toilet complexes at Pampa and Sannidhanam. Babu said that the first phase of the Pampa Action Plan, with an aggregate cost of about Rs 18.45 crore, would be implemented in four years. The TDB president said that of the total amount, the Union Government's share would be around Rs 12.92 crore and the State Government and other agencies would contribute the balance funds of around Rs 5.53 crore. An amount of Rs 75 lakh was already allotted to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), the nodal agency for implementing the plan, Babu said. Elaborating the details of the projects to be implemented during the current year, TDB chief engineer Ravikumar said that the sewage treatment plant at Sannidhanam, to be implemented on a turnkey basis, would have a capacity of three million litres a day. The estimated cost of the sewage plant would be around Rs 3 crore, he said. The other schemes to be implemented in Sannidhanam include 100 toilets and a collection tank. Ravikumar said that the facilities for the pilgrims to be undertaken in Pampa would cover 250 toilets and collection tank. Ravikumar said that the work on the expansion of Chalakayam-Pampa road, the 4-km crucial stretch to Sabarimala, would begin in a week. He said that the board had specifically directed the contractor to finish the work well before the next festival season in November. Source: newindpress.com
Kerala's king 'breaker' sworn in legislator
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 28 : A.C. Moideen of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), who created electoral history by defeating Kerala's electricity minister K. Muraleedharan, was Friday sworn in the newest legislator. The king 'breaker' was sworn in by Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman at the banquet hall of the state assembly. Looking on were Chief Minister A.K. Antony and Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan. Moideen defeated the Congress' Muraleedharan, who is veteran leader K. Karunakaran's son, from the Wadakancherry assembly constituency by a margin of 3,715 votes in a by-election on May 10. It was the first time that a minister could not get elected to the assembly. Muraleedharan had been sworn minister in February and V. Balaram of the Congress had to resign to make way for the by-election. With Moideen becoming a member, the strength of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has gone up to 41 in the 140-member Assembly. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has 99 members.
Indian Hotels Co. to build new hotel at Technopark
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 28 : Indian Hotels Co. Ltd has chosen the Technopark IT hub in Kerala as the venue for its new business hotel. An agreement has been signed between Sheila Nair, director of Roots Corporation, a subsidiary of Indian Hotels Co. Ltd, and N.R. Mahalingam, CEO of Technopark. Indian Hotels Co. Ltd, owned by the Tatas, runs the Taj group of hotels in India. This will be Taj's first facility in the Kerala capital. The company will take land on lease from Technopark and construct the hotel, which promises to be the first facility of its kind at an Indian technology park. To be built with an investment of Rs.300 million, the hotel will have 100 air-conditioned rooms with modern restaurants, ATMs, Cyber Cafes, banquet halls and conference halls. Kerala's IT and Industry Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, who was present at the signing of the agreement Thursday, said, "The Tatas have always considered Kerala an ideal investment destination. This new project by the promoters of the Taj group will enhance Kerala's status as an attractive IT gateway in India." Mahalingam said the venture by Taj would be of great use to the companies in Technopark. Technopark is an autonomous society promoted by the government of Kerala. Spread over 156 acres, it has about 1.5 million sq. ft. of built-up space.
Ninde Ormaikku
Friday, May 28, 2004
Cast - Manoj K Jayan, Lakshmi Gopalaswami, Saikumar, Jagadi and others. Director - Venu B Nair Producer - Siddhique and Cheriyol Edakara for Kutumbachitram Story- Sundaran is not someone who looks good. He is in love with his cousin Devu. She too feels the same way about him. They had been in love with each other for a very long time. In comes a third person and everything gets distorted. Tidbits This is the first time that Lakshmi Gopalaswamy is acting with Manoj K Jayan.
Kerala govt's sop to farmers
Friday, May 28, 2004
PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala government on Wednesday decided to write off the interest and penal interest on farm loans for a year starting from January 23, Chief Minister A K Antony said. Talking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Antony said government would provide Rs 25 crore to Agriculture co-operative banks for this purpose.The one-year mortarium on loan recovery would continue, he added. The cabinet accepted the expert committee's recommendations on closed Plantation units in the state, he said. The recommendations include exempting tea and coffee from agriculture income tax and plantation tax for the year 2003-04 and 2004-05, he said. The committee has also suggested certain concessions in power consumed by those plantations which were ready to re-open. However, this recommendation would be subjected to ratification of the Electricity Regulatory commission. The cabinet resolved to regularise the appointments of teachers in aided school posted on leave and additional vacancies, he said adding 10,800 teachers would be benefited. The state would bear an additional burden of Rs 13 crore every year, he said. The government decided to set up five family courts one each at Allapuzha, Idukki, Waynad, Palakkad and Kasargode and two additional family courts one each at Thiruvanathapuram and Kollam.
Inter-linking of rivers harmful to fishes
Friday, May 28, 2004
PTI KOCHI : Interlinking of rivers would bring about severe alterations of habitat parameters of fishes endemic to specific locations, resulting in their possible extinction, studies indicate. The studies conducted by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) say that linking of rivers will permanently alter their Habitat Stability Index (HSI) indices which are now protected by the individuality of the rivers. Any such interlinking would bring about severe alterations of habitat parameters such as flow velocity, nature of substratum, type of microhabitat and vegetation governing the presence of these fishes and consequently there is every possiblity of extiction of these species from the universe, according to a CUSAT release here. A research team comprising Prof B Madhusoodana Kurup, T G Manojkumar, K V Radhakrishnan of School of Industrial Fisheries, CUSAT, and Prof T M Sankaran of the Kerala Agricultural University developed HSI models for seven endemic endangered fishes of Kerala. HSI studies conducted in the Kerala rivers as part of the onoging National Agricultural Technology-Indian council of Agricultural Research Project on Germplasm Inventory Evaluation and Genebanking of freshwater fishes brought out some habitat paramters which are critically controlling the confinement of seven endemic fishes of Kerala. The release said highly micro level and extensive surveys had been carried out in the rivers for their fish biodiversity and habitat structure along with the entire Western Ghat region of Kerala. At least 143 species have been identified from this region, out of them 29 are endangered, 14 critically endangered and 31 endemic to Kerala waters of which seven are undergoing drastic reduction in their population and belong to critically endangered category, the studies said. A proper understanding of the relationship between physical habitat features and fish abundance in rivers and streams are very important if damage from development is to be evaluated and mitiagted, the scientists say. The US fish and wildlife service have developed a series of HSI models for the threatened fish which had been immensly utilised for the conservation of fishes in USA . However, similar approaches had been totally neglected in India despite the country being endowed with more than 100 endemic fishes, majority of them facing extinction due to serious habitat alterations because of various anthropogenic activities, they said.
Kerala-Gulf budget flights by June
Friday, May 28, 2004
NEW DELHI : A final decision on the long-awaited budget flights connecting Kerala with Gulf countries will be taken by the end of June, the state's minister for Non-Resident Keralites M M Hassan said on Thursday. "I had a long discussion with (Civil Aviation Minister) Praful Patel on Thursday. He has assured me that a final decision on the budget flights will be taken within a month," said Hassan. "This is going to be a reality very soon. It will not only benefit thousands of Malayalees in the Gulf region, but also those from our neighbouring states," Hassan told. An estimated three million non-resident Indians live in the gulf region and around 70 per cent of them are semi- and unskilled workers, according to a recent report by a government committee on Indian diaspora. Hassan said he also had discussions with officials of India 's international flag carrier Air-India on the introduction of budget flights earlier this month. "Air-India has already discussed the matter in their board meetings. They are taking all steps to start the service as soon as central government gives its final approval," he said. "They have also conducted a feasibility study and found that a very good market exists for such flights. I have been interacting with Malayalee groups in the gulf region and they have been complaining about high tariffs in the sector." He added that the launch of budget flights would go a long way in boosting tourism potential in God's Own Country, the tourism catchphrase for Kerala. Aviation industry representatives say that no-frills flights are generally 15-20 percent cheaper than normal fares, but in the case of the Kerala-Gulf sector, the tariffs could come down by as much as 30 percent. The Kerala government has been demanding low-cost air service to the Gulf region for the past couple of years and its representatives had several rounds of talks not only with the central government, but also Air-India officials. Earlier, Hassan had even threatened a stir, protesting the inordinate delay in launching the service. The minister said he had also urged Patel to ensure that Air-India didn't increase its fares in the Kerala-Gulf sector in the peak season that starts from June.
Virtual learning campuses soon
Friday, May 28, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 27 : The Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K) has initiated the establishment of virtual learning campuses to enhance the quality of higher education. The proposal is ready to be submitted to the central and Kerala governments. "The new government at the centre has come at the right time and it has already gone to people who matter. I am hopeful they will give us the nod as will the state government here," said K.R. Srivathsan, IIITM-K director. The Virtual Learning Campus (VLC)-India Mission envisages the establishment of a national knowledge network as a network of regional virtual learning campuses (RVLC). Each RVLC will link colleges and institutions of higher education and research over a regional broadband network, which will be serviced by a virtual campus gateway centre. Each gateway centre will have full up and down link facilities for EDUSAT and will also be interlinked by a terrestrial national broadband backbone network. VLC-India will be built as a network of RVLC by linking associated gateway centres over a national terrestrial broadband and EDUSAT network. VLC-India Mission will bring out the synergy between several ongoing and potentially new information and knowledge intensive products and services within and across several disciplines under different departments, agencies, industries and businesses. It plans to involve industry, government and premier academic and research institutions in the programme. For every region with 100 to 300 colleges, institutions or university centres, there will be a RVLC served by a gateway centre. "As and when it becomes a reality, it will make a huge difference to education in the country," said Srivathsan.
Mayilattam
Friday, May 28, 2004
Jayaram's double whammy Director V.M. Vinu is readying his new film "Mayilattam" for release. Following the stupendous success of his previous film "Baletten" with megastar Mohanlal, the only hit from the actor in recent times, the director is hoping to repeat the feat with another star, Jayaram, that too in a double role. The film is shot in rural settings and Jayaram plays the role of a hardworking peasant Devan. He believes in employing innovative techniques to get better yield from the land. Thus he becomes an eyesore for the local landowner, who virtually chases him away from the village. Devan reaches Pollachi where he meets his look-alike, Palani, a local goon. They agree to switch places, thereby starting a comedy of errors. Rambha and Indraja play the female leads in the film; this feminine combination last appeared in Siddique's super-hit "Chronic Bachelor". The rest of the star cast includes Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Jagathy Sreekumar, Janardhanan, Vijayaraghavan, Riyaz Khan, Sai Kumar, Bindu Panickkar and Zeenat. Mani Shornur has penned the script of this film. M. Jayachandran has scored the music. Gireesh Puthencherry has written the lyrics. Venugopal has cranked the camera. Jayaram's previous film "Manassinakkare" did very good business at the box office. It is hoped that "Mayilattam", with its strong characterisations and unique storyline, will do the same.
Cabinet clears new highway project in Kerala
Thursday, May 27, 2004
The Kerala Government today cleared a proposal for the construction of a north-south express highway connecting Kasaragod with the capital city Thiruvananthapuram for which a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) would be constituted. Briefing reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister A K Antony said the government would take 50 per cent share in the SPV investing Rs ten crore and the balance 50 per cent would be given to a Mumbai-based firm. The SPV would have a 14-member director board with Chief Minister as Chairman and Public Works Minister Vice-chairman. Antony said land acquisition for the project would begin during the current financial year itself.
Karthikeyan holds talks with Karunakaran
Thursday, May 27, 2004
State Culture Minister G Karthikeyan today met senior Congress leader K Karunakaran at the latter's residence here. After the talks, Karthikeyan told reporters that there was nothing 'special' in the talk. ''It was a friendly talk and meeting was on the request of leader K Karunakaran,'' he said. " I can't understand why are you giving importance to my meeting with Karunakaran," he asked and said that "Politics was not the subject that was discussed during the meeting, " and added that Adoor Prakash, V S Sivakumar, State Minister P Sankaran and 'A' group leader Muhammadali was also present at Karunakaran's residence and held discussions with him today.
Vatican gives boost to Kerala hilltop shrine
Thursday, May 27, 2004
MALAYATOOR : Pilgrims are jubilant with the Vatican's announcement declaring St. Thomas shrine at Malayatoor hilltop in Kerala as an international sanctuary. Authorities say the move can help boost foreign tourism. The hilltop shrine where one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas, is believed to have spent many days in prayer, is the only shrine in India which has been given the prestigious status by the Vatican. Following the declaration, the Malayatoor shrine now occupies a place among other famous Christian shrines like the Lady of Lourdes shrine in France. Cardinal Verkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of Syro Malabar, said the decision by the Vatican came after a long study. "It took a long time for the Holy See to take a decision because they had to make a study of the history and various circumstances of the shrine," said Vithayathil. Vithayathil said he filed a petition in the Vatican in 1998 to declare Malayatoor as an international shrine. Malayatoor hilltop, situated 1,208 feet above sea level, was considered to be the caravan route to the third century's Chola kingdom. S.t Thomas shrine is adjacent to Kalady, the birthplace of renowned saint-reformer Sri Adi Shankaracharya. The Malayatoor shrine attracts about four million pilgrims every year specially during the lent season which falls in April during Good Friday.
Antony offers to resign
Thursday, May 27, 2004
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister AK Antony who had discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the election debacle suffered by the Congress, requested the latter to take appropiate action to strengthen the party. "I have requested the Congress President to take whatever action she feels will strengthen the party in the state and I will abide by it,"said Antony to reporters who called on him. Antony also said that he did not participate in the discussions held in connection with the Union Cabinet formation because of the electoral setback suffered by the party in the state. "I feel it is not morally right for me to involve in the discussions,"said the Chief Minister. "It was a devastating defeat. Any decision by the High Command on the corrective measures to be taken in the wake of this disaster is acceptable to me," said Antony.
Major reshuffle on the cards in Kerala cabinet
Thursday, May 27, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A large-scale reshuffle of the Kerala cabinet is on the cards soon with indications that A.K. Antony will continue as Chief Minister, notwithstanding the Congress debacle in the recent Lok Sabha polls. After the Congress failed to get even one seat in the parliamentary elections, Antony had met party chief Sonia Gandhi and expressed his willingness to quit but she reportedly asked him to stay and implement changes in the cabinet structure. The best Antony can do now is to bring in senior and experienced leaders to occupy key ministries. Amongst those who are likely to find berths in the new cabinet is seasoned Congress leader Oommen Chandy who might be given the home portfolio, held by Antony till now. Chandy was home minister in K. Karunakaran's cabinet in 1981 and was instrumental in giving a new face to the police force.
KSU to launch agitation regarding fee structure
Thursday, May 27, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSU, the students wing of the ruling Congress party, will launch an agitation demanding that the fee structure in Government engineering colleges should be made applicable to self-financing colleges also. The Justice K.T. Thomas Commission decision that the same fees should be levied for both merit and management seats was against the declared policy of the UDF Government, KSU State president P.C. Vishnunath said. Chief Minister A.K. Antony and Education Minister Nalakath Soopy had promised that two self-financing colleges would be equal to one Government College. This should be implemented, he said. The fee of Rs 38,700 for engineering course and Rs 38,500 for MCA course fixed by the Commission had actually made higher education impossible for the common man. Higher education would become the privilege of the rich, he pointed out.
State’s software exports register 14 percent growth
Thursday, May 27, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The export of software from the State during the financial year ended on March 2004 has registered an increase of 14 percent compared to the previous financial year. According to official sources, the export of software during the 2003-04 fiscal has crossed the Rs.211-crore-mark. While the software export from the units registered with the Software Technology Parks India, Thiruvananthapuram, (STPI-T) during this period was Rs.200 core, the export from the companies operating from the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was around Rs.11 crore. The export from the STPI-T registered companies during 2002-03 financial year was only Rs.165 crore and those from SEZ was Rs.20 crore. Though final figures regarding the software export from other states during 2003-04 are yet to come out, the performance of Kerala is not likely to come anywhere near them. In 2002-03, the software export from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were Rs.4,100 crore, Rs.7,500 crore and Rs.14,100 crore respectively. During that period, South India, except Kerala, contributed to 56 percent of the exports of software in the country where as the export from Kerala stood at Rs.185 crore. The top software products exporters from the State during 2003-04 fiscal were US Software, IBS Software Services, Nest, ARS Software Engineering, Document Management Pvt Ltd, SunTec Business Solutions and RM Education Solutions India, all based in Technopark.
P M Sayeed takes over as Power Minister
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
New Delhi, May 25 Power Minister P M Sayeed today assumed charge of his ministry. Senior officials, including the Secretary, received Mr Sayeed in Shramshakti Bhavan. Later the minister held discussions with them. Mr Sayeed said he would meet reporters this evening to spell out his priorities.
Kerala begins rainwater harvesting to meet acute shortage
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Till recently, villagers in Kuttanadu in Kerala, one of the wettest regions in the country, used to face scarcity of water almost six months of the year. But not anymore. A people's movement led by socio-religious leaders in the locality has encouraged the residents to harvest the abundant rain water during the season. More than 1,000 families living in this area are happy that the new cost-effective method has almost solved the acute drinking water shortage. "There was acute shortage of water in this area. We were using the lake water but due to salinity, it was not fit for drinking. Besides, it was polluted too. Now, we get drinking water from this, it's very good and easy now," Ammini Kutty, a resident of Kuttanad, said. Father Thomas Peelianickal, Executive Director of Kuttanadu Development Organisation, blamed the poor awareness among villagers for the water pollution. "Water water everywhere, there is no drop to drink. This is the fate of the people of Kuttanadu. Of course, people here are living in the midst of abundant water but the water is polluted, because of agricultural practices, garbage dumping," Father Peelianickal said. The organisation has already constructed 250 tanks for collecting rainwater. Though the state gets an average of rainfall of about 300 millimeters in six-to-seven months during the rainy season, many areas face acute water shortage due to lack of proper water harvesting and management.
Karunakaran fails to get his flock together
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran is bitter that he has not been made a central minister. But, for once, not many are ready to sympathise with him. When he asked Congress legislators in the state to meet him at his residence Sunday, only 12 turned up. Karunakaran has claimed he wanted to get the feedback from the legislators to find out why the Congress was so badly mauled in the just concluded parliamentary elections. The Congress, for the first time, failed to win a single seat, conceding as many as 18 of the 20 seats to the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Just one members of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) got elected while one seat went to the National Democratic Alliance. The Congress has 63 legislators in the Kerala assembly, of which the faction led by Karunakaran had a strength of 26 three years ago. The number of Karunakaran loyalists shrunk to 18 in January, the last time he met with his group. Now, it seems, only a dozen are willing to stand by him. One Congress leader, Sakthan Nadar, said Karunakaran spoke with each legislator individually but he ruled out the possibility of the former chief minister again ganging up against Chief Minister A.K. Antony. For well over a year Karunakaran's only agenda had been to dethrone Antony. The election results in Kerala were a personal jolt to Karunakaran too. His daughter Padmaja Venugopal failed to retain the Mukundapuram seat he had held in the Lok Sabha, while his son K.M. Muraleedharan lost an assembly by-election and had to quit the Antony cabinet. A miffed Karunakaran lashed out at the media by saying journalists were spreading disinformation and thereby causing problems for his group. Again, probably for the first time, a Congress leader has warned Karunakaran not to criticise party president Sonia Gandhi. Karunakaran has been upset that two Congress leaders who lost the elections, P.M. Sayeed and Shivraj Patil, have been inducted into the cabinet despite losing the elections. Karunakaran had reportedly called their appointment "undemocratic. Congress leader Sarathchandra Prasad, once a close aide of Karunakaran, said the party would be forced to take a strong stand against anyone who attacks the party chief. "Certain leaders of the party here are attacking Sonia Gandhi, which even the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)) is not doing. We recommend to the party to take strong action against such leaders," said Prasad.
Manmohan's office has more Keralites than his cabinet
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Though Kerala got only one berth in the Manmohan Singh ministry, it seems to have had better representation in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). There are two Keralites in key PMO posts beginning with T.K.A. Nair, principal secretary to the prime minister, and the number is likely to go up. The other Keralite already in is Raju Korah who is the prime minister's chief media officer. Nair, who has retired from the Punjab cadre of the Indian Administrative Service, was secretary to I.K. Gujaral when he was prime minister. Nair, hailing from Pathanamthita district of Kerala, was formerly chief secretary of Punjab and is currently chairman of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, a post he accepted during the tenure of the previous ministry in the state. Korah, who hails from Kottayam district, has served as information officer with a few former prime ministers before, but this is the first time that he is heading the media team. Korah joined the Press Information Bureau in the mid-seventies and has served in key posts in the PIB.
Karunakaran resents cabinet berths for Sayeed, Patil
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
New Delhi, May 23 : Former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who heads the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), Sunday called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss government formation in Karnataka. At his second such meeting with Gandhi, which was described as a "courtesy call", Gowda is learnt to have discussed the possibility of his party heading a coalition government in the state. The JD-S bagged 58 and the Congress 65 seats in the 224-member assembly. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 79 seats. While the JD-S and the Congress have agreed on forming a coalition government, differences persist on which party would head it. The Congress, sources say, is keen on heading the government with the support of the JD-S or sharing power under a formula where both the parties would head the government for equal periods.
Karunakaran resents cabinet berths for Sayeed, Patil
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 : Veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran said Sunday the induction of P.M. Sayeed and Shivaraj Patil in the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went against democratic traditions. "I cannot recall such an incident in the history of the Congress party. This is not in tune with democracy and many other leaders in Delhi share my view on this," Karunakaran said. Sayeed and Patil had lost the Lok Sabha elections and would have to contest by-elections or seek a Rajya Sabha berth. Karunakaran, however, welcomed the induction of E. Ahmed of the Indian Union Muslim League in Manmohan Singh's ministry. Ahmed was the lone candidate of the Congress-led ruling United Democratic Front to win from Kerala. Karunakaran, a Rajya Sabha member, was in Delhi for almost a week during talks on ministry formation. He was sidelined all through the exercise, unlike in 1991 when he occupied the centre stage and P.V. Narasimha Rao was selected to lead a Congress government.
E Ahmed to be MoS in new cabinet
Sunday, May 23, 2004
According to a latest report, E Ahmed, the lone Muslim League member in the Lok Sabha from Kerala, will be sworn in as Minister of State in the Manmohan Singh ministry that will be sworn in at New Delhi today evening. The cabinet secretary has invited Ahmed to the swearing in ceremony. According to sources, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has taken initiative to include Ahmed in the Congress ministry. Sonia Gandhi and her colleagues have been in touch with Muslim League supremo Panakkad Thangal, over phone, during the last few days.
No Congressman from Kerala in Manmohan cabinet
Sunday, May 23, 2004
The infighting in the Kerala unit of the Congress cost it dearly when none of the Congressmen from the state could find a place in the 68-member cabinet led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Kerala is, however, represented by E Ahmed of the Indian Union MUslim League, the second biggest partner of the Congress-led ruling coalition in Kerala. The IUML, which won at least two LS seats in all the previous elections, could ensure the victory of Ahmed only. It is for the first time after independence that a Congressman from Kerala was not represented in a Congress government at the Centre. It is also for the first time that the Congress could not win even a single seat from the state in the 14th Lok Sabha elections. In all the previous elections to the Lower house, the Congress used to win eight to 15 seats from the state, where a Congress-led government led by Chief Minister A K Antony is in power. Though there are three Rajya Sabha members from the state and that too all of them are senior congressmen, none of them was also included in the Ministry, apparently to send a reminder to the unit that the high command means business. Those representing the state in Rajya sabha are veteran leader and former Chief Minister K Karunakaran, AICC General Secretary Vayalar Ravi and former PCC chief Thennala Balakrishna Pillai. Till the last moment, there were hopes among the Congress leaders from Kerala that at least Vayalar Ravi would be accommodated in the cabinet. It is also reported that though Chief Minister Antony and Karunakaran have been camping in the capital for the past five days, they were not involved much in the discussions relating to government formation. The Congress high command did not hide its dissatisfaction over the poor showing of the party in the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. AICC General Secretary in charge of Kerala Ahmed Patel gave vent to his feelings, immediately after the declaration of results in Kerala, when he said that the defeat in the 'God's Own Country" was due to infighting and the 'opportunism of some leaders." The poor showing of the party is reportedly due to the disenchantment among the party cadres over the infighting between the two predominant factions led by Antony and Karunakaran. Though an 'artificial unity' was achieved on the eve of the elections, the people gave the worst ever rebuff by not electing even a single Congress candidate from Kerala. In the elections in Kerala, the humiliating defeat was suffered by Karunakaran when his daughter Padmaja Venugopal lost a margin of more than 100,00 votes. His son K Muralidharan, who fought the Wadakkancherry by elections to the state assembly, also lost by a margin of 45,000 votes. (Agency)
Permanent Lok Adalats to settle family disputes
Friday, May 21, 2004
Come July, Kochiites will be able to avail the services of Permanent Lok Adalats to settle their family disputes amicably. It is for the first time in the country that such a system is organised to handle domestic disputes and property issues. Decisions of these adalats have legal validity and can be implemented through courts. It will be launched in Kochi by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KELSA) in association with Ernakulam Karayogam, Samatha Law Society and People's Council for Social Justice (PCSJ). The adalat has been empowered to settle the cases permanently and there will not be any possibility for appeal in any courts in the country. These special adalats will provide an inexpensive way for people to settle their cases without further delay. KELSA has been providing free legal service to the poor for a long time and this move will reach out to more people in the city who cannot afford the cost of legal procedures in other courts. It is also planning to open a permanent centre for counselling and conciliation as part of the adalat, which will offer services free of charge. The Ernakulam Karayogam had organised an adalat a couple of months ago and the response was so immense that the judges of the Kerala High Court asked the organisation to conduct such adalats regularly. Out of the 100-odd cases, the adalat had settled around 60 cases including family disputes, property feuds and financial issues. Even though the Karayogam initially planned the event for the Nair community, the demands crossed all boundaries. "We will offer all services as this is a very unique project. It is for the first time that a community organisation gets involved in legal service," says Krishnankutty, president of Ernakulam Karayogam. The adalat is likely to be inaugurated by the end of this month. People who want to register their names for the adalat which will be held in July can do so at the offices of KELSA, Ernakulam Karayogam, PCSJ and Samatha Law Society. (Agency)
HC decides on fees for self-financing Engg Colleges
Friday, May 21, 2004
Justice K T Thomas Commission has issued orders regarding the fees of the state's self-financing Engineering Colleges. As per the order, the yearly fees for Engineering courses is Rs 38,700 and for MCA course is Rs 38,500. No fees is to be collected for any other purpose. The decision is made keeping in view the Supreme Court stipulation that an individual college should not simultaneously have two separate fee structures.
HC decides on fees for self-financing Engg Colleges
Friday, May 21, 2004
Justice K T Thomas Commission has issued orders regarding the fees of the state's self-financing Engineering Colleges. As per the order, the yearly fees for Engineering courses is Rs 38,700 and for MCA course is Rs 38,500. No fees is to be collected for any other purpose. The decision is made keeping in view the Supreme Court stipulation that an individual college should not simultaneously have two separate fee structures.
Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary observed
Friday, May 21, 2004
The 13th death anniversary of former Indian Prime Minster Rajiv Gandhi was observed with various functions here today. In the morning, the function started with offering of floral tributes to the portrait of Rajiv followed by prayers. Blood donation, free ration for poor, planting of saplings, seminars were also undertaken. In the function held at Indira Bhavan at 9 am, M M Hassan, G Karithikeyan, Sharatchandra Prasad, Palode Ravi and others participated.
Accident leads to tense moments
Friday, May 21, 2004
South Kalamassery witnessed tense moments on Wednesday afternoon after a private bus, which violated the traffic signal, rammed into a car. Angry locals and traders blocked the traffic for hours, resulting in a police lathi charge. Three persons, including Desabhimani reporter and DYFI state committee member Zakkeer Hussain, were injured in the lathi charge. They have been admitted to a private hospital in Aluva. The two occupants of the car escaped unhurt. Angry locals and traders blocked the bus and all private buses. Police then arrived on the scene and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the people. K.M.Hassan, unit secretary of Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, and Sadiq are among the others who were hurt in the incident. Police have arrested Zakeer Hussain and Hassan. A hartal was observed in the area in protest against the lathicharge. (Agency)
Karunakaran goes from being kingmaker to bystander
Friday, May 21, 2004
The pendulum of political fortunes has swung from one extreme to another for Kerala's veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran encompassing 13 years in its sweep and reducing him from kingmaker to mere bystander. In 1991, when the last Congress government was on the verge of coming to power, it was Karunakaran who played a key role in making P.V. Narasimha Rao the prime minister, making deft political moves with his colleague from Tamil Nadu, G.K. Moopanar. Thirteen years later, the clock has turned full circle for the party, but not for its leader from Kerala who is sometimes still called the wily old fox for his political acumen. As another Congress prime minister gets ready to be sworn in, Karunakaran is nowhere on the scene. His residence in New Delhi and the Kerala House, which was once the hub of feverish political activity, is quiet as the man has been reduced to a forlorn bystander watching events unfold around him. His reputation as a difficult man who helped engineer the party's defeat -- the Congress has been wiped out of Kerala in this election -- through his blatant dissidence activities has preceded him. That he finally mended fences with his bete noir Chief Minister A.K. Antony doesn't seem to matter much. The truth is that nobody wants Karunakaran. His statements that he is prepared to do anything for the Congress has fallen on deaf ears. What makes it probably more painful for Karunakaran is that the present leadership of the party include those who left the Congress for greener pastures only to return later -- something he has been known to point out. Amongst those are Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh and S. Jaipal Reddy. Though Karunakaran has been camping in New Delhi, chances are that he knows he will return home empty handed having alienated Congress chief Sonia Gandhi again and again. It has been building up for some time. It was a few weeks before the May 2001 assembly polls in the state that Karunakaran first upset the proverbial apple cart by resigning from the working committee protesting the sidelining of a few candidates from the list. He managed to get the list revoked. In the April 2002 Rajya Sabha elections, he put up a rebel candidate. And in the September 2003 Ernakulam by-election he worked for the defeat of the Congress candidate. At the height of his open war with the party, he had openly said he no longer had a high command in New Delhi and instead would chart out his own future. The last nail in his political coffin has come now when Congress chief Sonia Gandhi succumbed to pressure, against the wishes of some party members, and gave the go ahead to four candidates in the just concluded parliamentary elections. The candidates were endorsed by Antony and all lost, including his daughter Padmaja Venugopal. Worse, his son K. Muraleedharan, who contested the assembly election, also lost. Reports indicate that Karunakaran's last trick in the bag is a decision to resign from the Rajya Sabha. This could well be a master stroke that will get him more acceptability and help making life easier for his son, who had to step down as minister after his defeat, and his daughter -- both of whom have been reduced to nothing but ordinary Congress workers.
Thousands pay tribute to Nayanar
Friday, May 21, 2004
Thousands paid homage to Marxist veteran and former Chief Minister E K Nayanar at the town hall here on Friday. People in large numbers were queued up since last night on both sides of the road leading to the town hall to have a last glimpse of the Communist leader who died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on May 19 due to a protracted illness. The body, flown in a special IAF aircraft to the state capital, was later brought here in a flower-bedecked vehicle accompanied by CPM Central Committee members M A Baby,Kodiyeri Balakrishan and A Vijayaraghavan, MP, among others. The body was later taken to Kannur by road for funeral at the Payyambalam beach later in the evening. The Payyambalam beach is being readied for the funeral of the departed leader Nayanar. The funeral pyre is being readied for Nayanar next to Chadayan Govindan, former state secretary of the CPM. It was at the Payyambalam beach that the mortal remains of Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai and a handful of Communist leaders were consigned to the flames. Memorials had also been built for communist leaders of yester years including A.K.G., Azhikkodan Raghavan, N.C. Shekhar, O. Bharathan and Chadayan Govindan.
Kalam condoles Nayanar's death
Friday, May 21, 2004
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Thursday condoled the death of former Kerala chief minister E.K. Nayanar. "Nayanar was a veteran politician and public figure who contributed to the nation's public life, including as chief minister of Kerala," Kalam said in a message here. Nayanar died here Wednesday following a prolonged illness.
Jalothsavam
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Director : Sibi Malayil Cast :Kunchacko Boban,Navya Nair,Nedumudi Venu,Jagathy, Jagadhish Producer : Great Movie Entertainmen Geetha is a hard working girl. She saves every rupee that she earns for wedding. She does all type of work which includes rowing boats on the lake, to making coir items. Though she leads a busy life, at the end of the day one can see sorrow in her eyes. One look at her and one can say that there is something, which is hurting this girl terribly. She lost her parents when she was very young and after that she was brought up by Pappyamma. The government had that time given an aid but she would get that amount only when she becomes a major. Aalackal Chandran, son of Aalackal Govindan who lived in great splendour once is a medical representative and does the part time job of a newsreader in Kuttanad Cable Vision. The Aalackal family tries hard to maintain the name and reputation they had in the village earlier. Both Chandran and Geetha have not revealed their love due to circumstances. He always tries not to go and jump before her. But she is not bothered about all these and decides to go ahead. Jalothsavam under the banner of Great Movie Entertainment has Kunchacko Boban and Navya Nair as Chandran and Geetha. Sibi Malayil directs the film. A song was shot in the picturesque location of Pulikunnu, Kainakari, Chambakulam and Nedumudi in Kuttanad. Nedumudi Venu,Sujatha, Riyaz Khan, Jagathy, Jagadhish, Machaan Varghese and many others act in this film. Songs penned by Prasad and Vayalar Sharat Chandra Varma have music composed by Alphonse Joseph. Camera is by Venugopal. The film produced by Shyam Jayan will be brought to the theatres by Swamy Films.
Paranju Theeratha Visheshangal
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Director : Harikumar Cast :Suresh Gopi, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Sukumari Producer : St Antony Films A recent survey had suggested that maximum number of divorces happen in Kerala and most of the couples get separated due to very small reasons mainly ego problems. Paranju Theeratha Visheshangal has a similar theme, of a couple getting separated and their emotional turmoils. Vijayalakshmi (Lakshmi Gopalaswamy) and Rajeev (Suresh Gopi) had a love marriage and everyone including neighbours and friends envied their life. But somewhere down the lane misunderstandings happen between them and they decide to get divorced. The divorce came through after both of them filed a petition at the family court and after six months of separation and counselling they legally got separated. Their daughter Anu was under mother’s custody till eight years. But after two years they meet once again and become good friends. They even tell each other about the proposals that came for them during this period. Vijayalakshmi tells Rajeev that she would get married soon and settle in US. The film is an adaptation of a novel by E.V. Sreedharan. The script and screenplay is by Kaloor Dennis and Harikumar is the director. The cast also has Manya, Janardhanan, Sukumari, Devan and Geeta Nair. The film is produced by St Antony Films and cameraman is Sanjeev Shankar. M.Jayachandran tunes the songs written by Yusefeli Kechery.
Koottu
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Director : Jayaprakash Cast :Richard, Aravindan, Lena, Sheetal Iyer Producer : Asraf, Munner and Manoj Feel-good, romantic movies with good music and young cast are the current flavour of Malayalee audience and Koottu is another campus love story directed by debutant Jayaprakash. Hari (Richard) and Balu (Aravindan) are students and buddies in a college. They come from different backgrounds. Balu is a poor guy who earns money for his education by teaching driving and doing freelance photography. Hari on the other hand is a from a wealthy family but all this does not come into the way of their friendship. Hari loves Pooja (Sheetal Iyer) and Balu loves Paru (Lena). They enjoy life to the hilt by having fun inside and outside college but one day Balu disappears. He is found missing and Hari takes the initiative to find him. The cast also has Thilakkan who makes an appearance after a sabattical, Shammi Thilakan, Jagathy, Jagadheesh, Sai Kumar, Kalabhavan Mani, Vijayaraghavan and Sukumari. The story is by Jayaprakash Kaithapuram. Girish Puthencherry has written the lyrics. The cameraman is M.J.Radhakrishnan and Mohan Sitara is the music director. Asraf, Munner and Manoj are the producers.
Love
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Director : Rajendra Singh Babu Cast :Mohan Lal, Aditya Babu,Rakshitha Producer : Rajendra Singh Babu Mohanlal acts in Love the Kannada film which will be dubbed also in Malayalam. Love, directed and produced by Rajendra Singh Babu, is a lavish big budget film shot in Dubai, Switzerland, Allahabad, Kasi and Bangalore. This film is the launch vehicle of Babu's son Aditya Babu, who is playing the lead role. Playing the female lead is Rakshitha. Aditya and Rakshitha fall in love and her parents do not like it. And so they take away to Dubai where they meet Lal, the taxi driver. Mohanlal plays the role of a godfather who sees that the two are united. Mohanlal has dubbed himself for the film, which is expected to release later this month. The film will be dubbed in Malayalam and Tamil as well. Mohanlal hopes that this film will turn out to be a hit.
Governor condoles death of Nayanar
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Kerala Governor T N Chaturvedi today condoled the death of former Chief Minister E K Nayanar. In a condolence message, he said, ''I am deeply grieved at the demise of Mr Nayanar, who always identified himself with the cause of the people.'' Entering public life as a freedom fighter, he emerged as one of the foremost and popular leaders of the Communist movement in the country. A man of impeccable integrity, his commitment to the welfare of the people of the State was commendable, the Governor said. An accomplished author and editor, ardent lover of art and letters, and an effective orator, he endeared himself to all sections cutting across party affiliations. He was also the longest-serving Chief Minister of Kerala, who would be remembered for his contributions to the development of the state, he said. [agency]
Antony to abide by UDF decision
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony Wednesday threw the ball in the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) court, saying he would abide by its decision on stepping down. "I will abide by any decision taken by the UDF and the Congress regarding what I should do," Antony told reporters after the first cabinet following the polls in which his party failed to get any Lok Sabha seats in the state. "We have received one of the worst ever drubbings and I will listen to what they ask me to do." Some reporters said that Sonia Gandhi, who led her party to victory across India, had refused the post of prime minister but Antony was continuing as chief minister despite the Congress getting a negative verdict in the state. To this, he shot back: "Why are you all in a hurry to push me out? Please do not try to provoke me and push me out." Antony also denied rumours that he could be made a minister in the federal cabinet. "I will remain in Kerala only." He is expected to make a final decision after gauging the mood of the party's top leadership and the UDF. The UDF in Kerala is still smarting under the landslide victory of the opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF), which bagged 18 out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats.
Cyclonic storm brings monsoon
Thursday, May 20, 2004
The crucial southwest monsoon, which accounts for 80 percent of the rainfall in India, has arrived a fortnight early in southern Kerala. The welcome rains that started a week ago is good news for the state, which has been reeling under the impact of three consecutive years of a poor summer monsoon. Starting from the Lakshadweep islands, the southwest monsoon enters peninsular India from Kerala before progressing to other parts of the country during June-September. The monsoon normally hits Kerala on June 1, coinciding with the reopening of schools after the summer break. "Under the influence of the cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, the monsoon has already temporarily set in over Lakshadweep, Kerala, southern parts of Tamil Nadu and south and central Bay of Bengal," said S.C. Bhan, director of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). "The cyclonic storm has created a monsoon type of condition in the southern peninsula. If the condition is sustained there would be further good rains. But the cyclone is expected to move towards Bangladesh coast and Myanmar," Bhan told. The monsoon is moving according to expectations with the impact of the current cyclonic storm expected to last another three to four days and bring good rains. "In the last one week, the rainfall in Kerala has been normal in parts and above normal in others," said Bhan. Bhan, however, declined to comment on whether this early monsoon promised good rainfall in other parts of southern peninsula, including in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, which have not seen good rains for the last two to three years. The early arrival of monsoon rains in Kerala would not necessarily translate into advanced monsoons in other parts of the country, he said. The next few days would indicate further short-term trends in the summer monsoon, which is forecast to be normal. Bhan did not foresee any immediate respite for the northern states, reeling under a heat wave with the capital, for instance, recording 44.5 degrees Celsius. "No respite is expected in the northern regions with temperatures expected to be over 40 degrees Celsius. While strong winds and dust raising winds will provide some respite from heat, the dust storms that cool night temperatures are not expected," he said. However, the early rains have raised hopes of India experiencing another good agriculture growth year after the over nine percent growth in 2003-04, which was preceded by one of the worst droughts.
Sonia Gandhi should reconsider: Antony
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony on Tuesday urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to reconsider her decision not to become the prime minister of India. Speaking, Antony said it was "most unfortunate" that there has been a new development like this. "The mandate was for Sonia Gandhi to be the prime minister. I have already expressed my views very strongly to my leader. There is no reason for her to go back at all," said Antony. Antony said he would go to New Delhi Wednesday to try change Gandhi's mind.
We need to introspect, Oommen Chandy
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Reacting to the Congress' decimation in Kerala, senior party leader and ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor Oommen Chandy said the need of the hour was not a change of guard but introspection. "There is no need to find fault with just one person, including me. All are responsible and this is the time to set our house in order after the verdict of the people went against us," Chandy said amid mounting speculation that Chief Minister A.K. Antony might be made cabinet minister in New Delhi to pave the way for a revamp in the party and government. Responding to talk that he might take over from Antony, Chandy said: "At the moment, this question does not arise at all." He said discussions on what should be done would take place after the new government at the centre was in place. "Top of the agenda is that there has to be a perceptible change in attitude, policies and outlook of the government." He said. He refused to go into reasons for his party's drubbing. "The reasons are many but I am not going to disclose them here today because these are things that are to be discussed at appropriate forums of the party." While the Congress could not get a single seat in Kerala, the UDF managed just one with the win of the Indian Union Muslim League. The left parties won 18 of the 20 seats and the National Democratic Alliance one.
Teary-eyed Kerala bids goodbye Nayanar
Thursday, May 20, 2004
With tears in eyes and grief on their faces, people here paid their last respects to E. K. Nayanar as Kerala Thursday went into a weeklong mourning. Comrade Nayanar, 85, who passed away in the national capital Wednesday, was one of the most popular leaders of the state. He held the post of chief minister for three terms, which is record for Kerala. His body Wednesday arrived here on a special aircraft at 9.45 a.m. and was taken to the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) headquarters. As soon as the body reached there, slogans of long live comrade Nayanar echoed on the premises. "You would always be with us," said crestfallen supporters. The body was later taken to the Durbar Hall in the state secretariat and from there on an open vehicle to Kozhikode in north Kerala, where it would kept for public to pay their homage till Friday morning. The funeral would take place Friday at 5 p.m. at the Payambalam beach. Rain could not dampen the spirit of people from all walks of life, who assembled here from early morning for a last glimpse of their beloved leader. The state CPI-M Thursday called for a daylong strike, which evoked wide response with most of the shops and establishments downing the shutters. His long and distinguished political career, which saw him spend over 11 years in the prison, began way back in 1938. He was also a successful journalist and became the chief editor of the communist party organ Deshabhimani. He represented Palakkad in the Lok Sabha in 1967, while he lost from Kasargode constituency in 1971. It was in 1975 that he became a legislator for the first time. In 1972 he became the state secretary of the party. During his stint as the chief minister, he also became a popular presence on the television featuring in a weekly programme "Ask the Chief Minister". RELATED LINKS:
Getting banned runs in my family- Prithviraj
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
When my father was banned from Malayalam films, I was in Class VI. Even then I felt that it wasn’t right to ban him. How can I then comply with the orders now? Prithviraj asked. Sukumaran invited the wrath of the star association when he pointed out that the rules and regulations framed by them weren’t right. This hadn’t gone well with the superstars who were leading the association then. When other actors and actresses refused to star with him, he had no choice but to walk out of many films that he was working in. Some of the people had called me up to do the roles that Sukumaran was denied in films. I had first called him up and got his permission before I accepted the roles, remembers Thilagan.
Why Malayalam cinema hates Abhirami?
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Ever since she made her debut, Abhirami had been acting only with senior heroes. She then shifted base to Tamil films and in spite of ‘Virumandi’, she hadn’t been seen in any other film yet. Ironically, the success of the film had only worsened her career with only a very few new films. So, why was she unable to make it big in Malayalam? I don’t know. Was it because they thought my acting skills weren’t enough or was it because I didn’t turn up in any of the films in their favorite costumes- silk skirt, blouse and tulsi leaves in my hair? I had agreed to do the TV serial ‘Akshayapartam’ to get rid of my image. It didn’t work but I did end up getting greatly appreciated for the role. Then, suddenly the offers simply stopped. Had it got something to do with wrong choices of roles? I was 16 when I entered films. I had done all my education in Kuwait. I knew nothing about Indian films. I’m a forward thinker. I look for roles that are similar to my real nature.
UDF Govt in Kerala completes 3 years
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 17 Yet to recover from the mortal blow it received in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in Kerala today completed its three years in office sans media blitzkrieg or state-sponsored celebration that normally go with the anniversary. Unlike the previous years when the Government announced new schemes on the occasion coupled with an excess of sound bytes, word from the government circles this time was that "this is no time for celebrations." The ruling combine was routed in the Lok Sabha polls losing all but one seat with the leading component Congress drawing a blank for the first time in the state's electoral history. Coming to power on May 17, 2001 with a record tally of 99 in the 140 assembly, the UDF has since then wasted considerably the tremendous good will and strong support base it commanded three years back. Political obsevers here feel that the single most factor that constricted the government was murky factionalism in the Congress mostly involving senior leader K Karunakaran and his inner-party rivals. At times, the Congress infighting took such fratricidal dimensions as the very survival of the government was in jeopardy with Karunakaran threatening to pull the rug from under Antony's feet and taking the party to the brink of a split. Though Antony and Karunakaran did hammer out a truce on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls, the results reflected total rejection of it by the electorate at large and a sections of the Congres rank and file as well. PTI
Kerala BJP to observe ''Betrayal Day''
Monday, May 17, 2004
The Kerala BJP will observe a ''Betrayal Day'' on the day when the Congress-Left combine Government assumed office at the Centre. In a statement here today, BJP State President P S Sreedharan Pillai alleged that the Left parties, which had fought the elections in Kerala mainly against the policies of the Congress, had now betrayed the people by joining hands with the party. He claimed that though the people had not given a mandate to the Congress to rule the country, the Left parties were extending their support to Congress President Sonia Gandhi to become the Prime Minister. [agency]
Chamber declines to attend talks
Monday, May 17, 2004
Hardening its stand on the tussle with the artistes, the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce today decided not to attend the talks called by the Labour Commissioner for tomorrow, terming it as mere ''pressure tactics.'' Addressing a press conference here, Chamber President Siyad Kokker said theatre owners, who were called for talks along with the leaders of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), would take part in the talks with the permission of the Chamber. ''Even if some are going for the talks, they will not speak on the current impasse concerning the agreement between the producer and the artistes and the crisis,'' he said. ''The crisis has nothing to do with the labour laws as it is purely related to the policies of the industry which wants to have some discipline in the field,'' he said, highlighting instances when artistes reportedly hiked their fees mid-way through productions. Stating that talks would be a run-up to impose ''pressure tactics'' on the theatres at the behest of some artistes and ''with a view to divide the producers and distributors,'' he warned that ''if something of that sort takes place, the entire industry will be closed then and there.'' The talks would be held in Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow. Maintaining that it had not banned any artiste and was only insisting on a concrete agreement before any production, the Chamber alleged that the artistes were ''really disturbed by the clause in the call sheet to make public the entire amount of remuneration, making it taxable.'' Even as most of the leading artistes continued to boycott work protesting the 21-point call sheet contract, the Chamber has called for a meeting of all producers, including the present and past generations, on May 18 here to launch at least 20 films en masse to tide over the present crisis. [agency]
Heavy rush at Sabarimala
Monday, May 17, 2004
The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala witnessed heavy rush as hundreds of devotees thronged the holy hillock on the first day of the Malayalam month of Edavom. The five-day monthly pooja at the temple began with Ganapathi homam in the morning. The Tantri, Kantaru Rajeevaru, assisted by the Melsanthi, Gosala Vishnu Vasudevan, performed the padi pooja, udayasthamana pooja and `pushpabhishekom' at the temple today. A `laksharchana,' `kalabhabhishekom' and `sahasrakalasom' will be held at the temple on May 19. The temple will be closed after the athazha pooja on May 19 evening.
SSLC results announced
Monday, May 17, 2004
State Minister for Education, Nalakathu Soopy announced the results of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations of March 2004 here today. The pass percentage is 70 percent.
Hasbro to launch three more stores in Kerala
Monday, May 17, 2004
PTI KOCH: Capitalising on the immense potential that the state offers, Hasbro, a menswear company, proposes to launch exclusive stores in three more cities in Kerala besides those at Kochi and Thrissur. Speaking to reporters, after launching the first exclusive store here, Suhail Sattar, Partner Hasbro, said the target markets would be Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Tellicherry, which are likely to come up in the next 12 months. The total investment made in the Kerala market has been to the tune of Rs 1.3 crore, he said adding turnover from the market had been over Rs 2 crore. The company owns the Genesis and Basics brands, which already has significant presence in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The company has recorded a 50 per cent growth over the last two years. The two brands are also present in the Gulf region through 50 multi-brand outlets covering Dubai , Muscat , Saudi Arabia , Cyprus , among others. Genesis also unveiled its 'fully loaded' collection consisting of cargo trousers, cargo shorts and unique 'no sweat' T-shirts.
Big shakes in Kerala soon
Monday, May 17, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Tectonic shift awaits the ruling Congress-led UDF in Kerala following its total rout. Never before had the Congress gone out for a duck. It lost all the 17 seats it contested and allowed the NDA to open its account in Kerala. On Thursday evening Chief Minister A K Antony, on whom the buck will finally stops, had been huddled in conference with the Muslim League colleagues and some other partners in power. Though he put up a brave front to the media, Antony was devastated, sourses in the Cliff House, his official residence confided in the Times of India. There will be a thorough recast of the PCC-I and ministry. The knock-out punch of the Power Minister K Muralidharan losing from the Congress bastion, Vadakancheerry, the peace package between Karunakaran and Antony that made difficult for proper screening of candidates, topped with the quarrel between Congress and its partner, Kerala Congress (B) have made a reshuffle of the ministry and reconstruction of party organisation imperative, it is pointed out. Not only Congress was washed out, even the monolithic Muslim League lost one of the two seats it contested in the very heartland of the League, Malabar. Adding injury to insult, the Kerala Congress (M), another partner, lost for just over 500 votes to the NDA candidate P C Thomas in the Muvattupuzha constituency. Muvattupuzha is synonymous with Kerala Congress all these years. Congress loss was Leftist gain. The gigantic win of the Left Front that scored 18 out of 20 seats, is the direct reversal of the 2001 Assembly polls when the Left Front scored 40 and UDF 100. It is not Antony alone who suffered the blinding blow. Karunakaran, who had forced his daughter and son on the Congress list in lieu of a truce, has lost face. His group stands almost dismantled. His daughter losing for the largest margin in Mukundapuram constituency, that stood by the Congress for pretty long time, is bound to generate frustration and consequent quarrel in the Congress. Once the Congress get established in Delhi, the party leadership is said to be focussing on Kerala to search for answers that beg urgent answers.
BJP shining in Kerala: Pillai
Monday, May 17, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram: Notwithstanding the drubbing at the national level, the BJP in Kerala is ecstatic over its ''most shining victory'' in the state after finally managing to open its account. ''It has been the most shining victory in its history here and proved to be the third alternative in the state. It will also trigger a positive change in Kerala politics,'' party State President P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said. For the first time, the NDA won a seat in the state through its ally Indian Federal Democratic Party whose candidate P.C. Thomas won from Muvattupuzha constituency. He said the anti-minority campaign against it had proved wrong. Pillai also alleged that the Left could post significant gains mainly due to its ''clandestine understanding'' with the Muslim fundamentalist forces. Union Minister of State for Defence O. Rajagopal, who was defeated from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, blamed it on the communal forces which came together on a single-point agenda of defeating the BJP.
BJP makes historical headway in Kerala
Monday, May 17, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala going topsy-turvy in general elections is not new. The first occured during the post-emergency elections when the whole of India voted Indira out, while Kerala alone gave her a total victory. Congress had swept the state over-riding the usual communal, caste vote banks in 1977. In the May 13 polls too the state silently gave a stamp of approval to the saffron brigade when it received a drubbing in most of India . First time in the electoral history, the BJP made entry to the so far unrelenting Kerala by riding on the IFDP, an outfit floated by former Kerala Congress leader P C Thomas. The maiden win of the NDA candidate Thomas in Muvattupuzha in the toughest battle ever fought here, with of course, a hair-thin margin of 500 votes will go down in history. But the BJP's march was not confined to Muvattupuzha. The party came neck-to-neck with Congress in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. The BJP candidate O Rajagopal was only 3000 votes behind the Congress. His record of over 2.25 lakh votes has stunned the Congress and Leftists. Though the party did not win a seat on its own but got one in the name of NDA, the overall voting percentage of the BJP has jumped to 12.12 per cent from eight per cent last elections. In Kasaragode, Palakkad, Muvattupuzha, Thiruvananthapuram constituencies the BJP votes crossed one lakh and ended in third position. It is evident that the BJP is eating more into the Congress vote bank than the Leftist votebank. The saffron strides in Pala, Kanjirapally, Thiruvananthapuram North and Thiruvananthapuram East, West, and Nemom which the Congress and its allies used to win clearly established that Congress loss will be BJP gain. The party is also getting acceptance among minorities, especially the Christians. Four christian priests had joined the party and several christian sects advised the laity to use the vote irrespective of the party affiliation.
Unnikrishnan blames Antony for Cong rout
Monday, May 17, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Holding that Chief Minister A K Antony could not wash his hands off the Congress rout in Kerala, former union minister and party leader K P Unnikrishnan on Sunday demanded a total shake-up in the state unit and said it was for Antony and the Central leadership to decide on the question of leadership change in the state. Maintaining that Antony's 'abject' surrender to Karunakaran's interests in choice of candidates had led to the party's 'shameful defeat', Unnikrishnan said he expected that the high command would pay attention to the state to save the party from the grave situation. "Antony was the head of the ethics committee of the AICC. As a person who codified the ethics for the party, it is for him to address his conscience and take a decision on his next step," he told a meet-the-press here. He said at least 25 per cent of the Congress workers in the state had kept themselves off the election work as they had strong resentment at the way "a handful of leaders" worked out a temporary truce on eve of the elections and went ahead with selection of candidates. Unninkrishnan said though he had forewarned of drubbing the party was going to receive, even he did not think that the Congress was heading for a total rout. "If the Congress failed to achieve the goal of at least 150 seats in the Lok Sabha, the failiure in Kerala is a major reason for that. Explaining things away by describing it as a mere shock treatment is not going to work in the coming days," he said.
Congress loss is BJP's gain in Kerala
Monday, May 17, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 16 It is for the first time in the electoral history of Kerala that the Congress failed to get representation from the state in Lok Sabha, mainly on account of a bitter infighting enabling other parties like the BJP to grab a slice of its votes in some constituencies. Even during the post Emergency elections when the whole of India voted against the Congress, the state stood with the Congress. Now, it is total reversal of the 1977 situation where the party performed well at the national level but was routed in this southern state. Widespread revulsion at the ugly infighting between supporters of veteran leader K Karunakaran and Chief Minister A K Antony was stated to be the main cause for the defeat. Out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats, Indian Union Muslim League general secretary E Ahmed won the lone seat for the Congress-led ruling United Democratic Front. The Opposition-Marxist led Left Democratic Front (LDF) won 18 seats. However, the Congress loss is seen as the gain for BJP in several Assembly segments. Though the Lotus failed to bloom in Kerala this time also, the National Democratic Alliance opened its account for the first time through the Indian Federal Democratic Party leader P C Thomas who won in a tough triangular contest from Muvattupuzha. The BJP also finished closely behind the Congress candidate in Thiruvananthapuram constituency where O Rajagopal got more than 2.25 lakh votes, a record for the party. In Thiruvananthapuram, Muvattupuzha, Palakkad and Kasaragod, the party managed to cross more than one lakh votes this time. It is evident in these constituencies that it was the Congress that suffered the most with its voteshare getting sliced by the BJP.
Left parties to be a decisisve power at Centre: PKV
Sunday, May 16, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 15. Former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI leader P K Vasudevan Nair claimed that the importance of Left parties had increased in the national political scenario. Participating in a 'meet-the-press' programme of the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club here, he clarified that the ''importance'' was not due to the number of seats the party had won in the Lok Sabha elections, but its emergence as a ''decisive power'' to take important decisions, including formation of a new Government at the Centre. Mr Nair ruled out the possibility of the formation of a Third Front because of shortage of seats. While sticking to the party's earlier stand to support the Congress in Government formation at the Centre, the Communist leader said the support would be based on ''certain conditions.'' The CPI had never opposed the Congress' reforms, but the difference was on the method of implementation, he explained. He said the Left parties had been opposing the economic policies of the Congress right from the Narasimha Rao regime and had led many agitations against them. Since the Congress had not received absolute majority to form a Government on its own, it is depending on other ''like-minded'' parties to form a new Government by making certain adjustements. The Left parties preferred to sit as a ''separate block'' in Parliament, Mr Nair said, adding that the party leaders would meet in Delhi tomorrow to chalk out its future plans.
Processing time may be cut for UAE visa seekers from Kerala
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 15 UAE visa seekers from Kerala may not have to wait for months to get their documents attested by that country's embassy in New Delhi thanks to an initiative by the Kerala Association of Travel Agents (KATA). According to procedures laid down, all visa seekers need to have their documents attested by the human resources development ministry, which has a special counter here for the purpose, and subsequently by the United Arab Emirates embassy in New Delhi. Till now, the government-owned Roots NORKA (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) used to handle the attestation by the UAE Embassy in New Delhi. The KATA decided to help speed up the process since a visa seeker has had to wait for almost three months for the attestation, said KATA president K.V. Muraleedharan. "Any person intending to visit the UAE has to get their certificates first attested by the human resources department (HRD), which has a special counter here. But the subsequent attestation by the UAE Embassy has to be done in New Delhi and currently there is a waiting period of almost three months," Muraleedharan told. "We have worked out a method with the embassy that would reduce this period to just 15 days", he said. Visa-seekers, to get their certificates attested by the HRD, could register online from anywhere in the state. They are then given a date when they would have to come to the state capital for the process. There is provision for 150 people to get their certificates attested here everyday. The documents are then sent to the UAE embassy in New Delhi. At the embassy, only 50 certificates are attested every day, leading to the waiting period. "We would be charging only Rs.550 per certificate, the same as being charged by the Roots NORKA. There are no other charges and the process would take only 15 days," Muraleedharan added. NORKA Minister M.M. Hassan, however, said that one has to wait and see whether the process can indeed be completed in 15 days. "The UAE Embassy has been outsourcing this certificate attestation to private parties and that is how the KATA too might have got this facility," he said. "Yes, there is a time lag because only 50 applications from Kerala are attested every day. Now with the Congress to head the government at the centre, we are confident that we could improve upon the existing facilities," the minister said.
CM asks DGP to probe charges by Iraq returnees
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 15 Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony today instructed the Director General of Police to probe charges by returnees from Iraq that they were cheated by "fake travel agencies" and sent to the war-torn country saying they were being taken to Kuwait. The decision came after three persons, who returned from Iraq, after serving "hard labour" at US military camps, today met the Chief Minister and submitted a memorandum urging him to take steps to investigate the role of travel agents. Hameed, Faizal and Shajahan, all hailing from Kollam, who met the Chief Minister also requested him to take steps to sav around 70 Malayalees who, they said, were still "trapped" in Iraq. The returnees, who were kitchen assistants in a US camp in Iraq for nine months, said they could "escape the fearful job" only after the government and embassy officials intervened in the matter. PTI
Lord Krishna Bank registers impressive business volumes
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Kochi, May 15 The Kerala-based Lord Krishna Bank, one of the fastest growing private sector banks in the country, has achieved a business growth of 33 per cent during 2003-04 fiscal. The total deposit of the bank registered an impressive growth of 39 per cent during the year, from Rs 1663 crore to Rs 2311 crore, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LKB, R M Nayak, told reporters here last night. Advances of the bank also registered a rise of 22 per cent during the fiscal, from Rs 941 crore to Rs 1146 crore. Nayak said to reach out to more customers and offer them innovative services and financial products, the bank, which has 106 branches spread across 11 states and Union territory of Chandigarh, was planning to open more fully automated branches. LKB has opened 10 branches during the fiscal and holds licence for opening eight more branches during the current fiscal, he said. With a view to ensure more services to NRI customers, the bank tied up with Western Union for quick money transfer of NRIs. LKB had also entered into rupee drawing arrangement with well-known exchange house, he added. PTI
Vellappally Natesan blames Antony, Karunakaran
Saturday, May 15, 2004
KOCHI: SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan on Thursday claimed that the poll outcome has vindicated the Yogam's predictions of a possible UDF rout in the Lok Sabha elections. In a statement issued here on Thursday, Natesan reminded the Congress leadership that in the electoral history of the state, this is the first time that Congress was facing such a humiliating defeat. He held both Antony and Congress leader K. Karunakaran responsible for the drubbing. Natesan who dubbed the LDF victory as a mark of protest against the UDF leadership added that the Left has nothing to boast of this victory. In a separate statement, the INL national secretary Sulaiman Khalid urged Chief Minister A.K. Antony to step down owning the moral responsibility of the humiliating UDF defeat. He described the poll outcome as a mandate against the Antony Government. The All Kerala Catholic Congress Socio Political Council state secretary Davis Thomas Ambatt has termed the UDF defeat in Ernakulam as a fallout of the pampering of the Latin Catholic community by the UDF leadership.
UDF's losses are no Left gains
Saturday, May 15, 2004
KASARGOD: Though LDF candidate P. Karunakaran of the CPM was elected with a majority of 1,08,256 over his nearest rival N.A. Mohammed of the Congress, the CPM votes have registered an increase of only 13,720 votes than T. Govindan in the 1999 election. The cause of the defeat of N.A. Mohammed was that the UDF lost 62,958 votes in the constituency. Khader Mangad, UDF candidate in the 1999 election had bagged 3,91,986 votes but N.A. Mohammed could get only 3,29,028 votes. But these UDF votes had not gone to the LDF since there was no remarkable increase in the LDF votes. While there was no LDF wave in Kasargod, what had happened was that these 62,000 UDF votes were not polled to N.A.Mohammed. These voters seem to have chosen to keep quiet this time. The negative attitude of the UDF voters mainly due to the group fighting might have prompted them to keep quiet. Kasargod Lok Sabha constituency was also affected by the general anti-UDF mindset of the voters resulting in the low polling of the UDF votes.
14 injured in CPM-BJP clash at Puthiyappa
Saturday, May 15, 2004
KOZHIKODE: Twelve CPM activists and two BJP workers were injured after they clashed at Puthiyappa near here on Thursday evening. According to the police, the BJP activists pelted stones at a procession taken out by the CPM workers to celebrate the landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections in the State. It was the 'provocative slogans' by the CPM men that ended in violence. All the injured have been admitted to the Medical College Hospital here. A strong contingent of police, including CRPF, is camping in Puthiyappa area. The situation is under control, police said.
Resignation best option for Antony: VS
Saturday, May 15, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: V.S. Achuthanandan, Opposition Leader: ''I do not say that A.K. Antony should resign. But that is the right thing he could do if he had the conscience to accept the peoples' verdict. I had predicted a historic victory for the LDF and I am happy that my predictions have come true. However, my prediction has gone wrong in Muvattupuzha. I am really sad that the people of Kerala allowed an NDA candidate to win.'' K. Karunakaran, Congress MP: ''The election results show that the demand for leadership change is still relevant. I am sorry for abandoning my earlier decision to float a new front. Those who had opposed my suggestion to float a secular front having the CPM and the CPI as partners now do not feel ashamed to accept the services of Harkishen Singh Surjeet in forming a government at the centre. One of the main reasons for the UDF debacle is that it failed to respect the sentiments of the people. Now that the results are out the UDF leaders should sit together to find out the reasons for the UDF rout.'' Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM State secretary: ''This is the first time that a Minister got defeated in a byelection. Antony should resign and seek a fresh mandate. P.C. Thomas' victory cannot be viewed as an NDA win. There was a strong pro-LDF wave in this election. People voted against the UDF as they were fed up with Antony's rule.'' P.K. Vasudevan Nair, CPI leader: ''Taking moral responsibility for the poll debacle Antony should resign. It was Antony's attempt to blindly imitate the NDA Government at the Centre that resulted in the rout of the UDF in Kerala.'' Paloli Muhammedkutty, LDF convener: ''This is a verdict against the anti-people policies of the Antony Government.'' O. Rajagopal, BJP leader: ''The United Democratic Front sold its votes to the Left Democratic Front to ensure my defeat. I had great confidence this time. But a section in the UDF and certain communities ditched me. The focus of my campaign was development of Kerala. But now I have realised that communalism has a better market in Keralathan development''
Paloli demands Antony's resignation
Saturday, May 15, 2004
MALAPPURAM: LDF convenor Paloli Muhammed Kutty on Thursday said that Chief Minister A.K. Antony should resign from the post if he had any strain of democracy left in him. Speaking to mediapersons at the CPM district committee office on Thursday he said that the resounding verdict in favour of the LDF was a reflection of people's anger against the policies of the Central and State Governments. He said that LDF was not viewing this victory as a demonstration of its strength alone. Paloli said even the protest among some of the constituents of the UDF had come in favour of the LDF. The activists of the AP Sunni faction and the workers of the INL and the PDP have helped us in the campaign, he said. ''We know that even the IUML cadres, sore over the actions of the League leadership over many crucial issues, had voted in favour of T.K. Hamza in Manjeri,'' he said.
Muraleedharan resigns from Antony Cabinet
Saturday, May 15, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Electricity Minister K Muraleedharan today resigned from the Antony Cabinet following his defeat in the Wadakkancherry assembly by-election. He submitted the letter of resignation to Chief Minister A K Antony. Talking to reporters after submitting his resignation, Muraleedharan said he did not see the assembly be-election result as a personal defeat. All the candidates put up by the Congress high command in the Lok Sabha poll in the state had also been defeated, he added. Muraleedharan was defeated by A C Moideen CPI (M) by a margin of 3,715 votes. The by-election was necessitated by his induction into the cabinet in February last as a patch up formula to end the infighting in the state unit of the Congress.
Karunakaran has no right to ask for a leadership change: Sharat
Saturday, May 15, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Addressing a press meet today, Sharatchandra Prasad said senior leader K Karunakaran has no right to ask for a change in leadership. Karunakaran who ended his group activities when Muraleedharan and Padmaja were included in the list, should end his political career admitting their defeat. Sharat stated when the party suspended us for reacting against the selection of candidates, the people of the state had not suspended us. The meet began with the distribution of ladoo.
Antony has lost credibility: Cherian Philip
Saturday, May 15, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The general belief of Antony a man of clean image has been shattered , claimed Cherian Philip. He also stated that Antony era in the state Congress has come to an end. The inability of even one Congress man to be elected to the Lok Sabha shows the animosity of people towards Antony government. Cherian caustically stated that Antony has been now reduced to protector of eighteen corrupt ministers.
'Red' storms 'green' bastion in Kerala
Friday, May 14, 2004
A 'green' bastion in north Kerala fell to the Marxists when the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) lost the Manjeri Lok Sabha seat. It was for the first time in the political history of the constituency since 1962 that the IUML failed to retain the seat. IUML's K P A Majeed lost to CPI-M's T K Hamsa by over 48,000 votes in the constituency held by Party General Secretary E Ahmed for four consecutive terms. In the previous two elections, Mr Ahmed's majority was over one lakh votes. The victory for the CPI(M) candidate was being seen as a major setback to the IUML, which was considered as an undisputed political outfit in the Malabar region. Party leaders used to claim that even if the IUML contested alone, without the help of the two gigantic forces in the state politics, the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the Marxist-led Left Democratic Front, it could win the seat. [agency]
Murali to submit resignation today
Friday, May 14, 2004
State Power Minister K Muralidharan who fell flat on all fours at Wadakkancherry in the Assembly bypoll losing to the CPM candidate A C Moideen by 3765 votes will call on the chief minister AK Antony today to submit his resignation. Meanwhile, UDF Convenor Oommen Chandi has arrived in the state capital to meet various factions of the Front. Chandi, who kept a studied silence throughout the election process, is yet to react on the massive defeat handed out to the UDF by the Kerala voters.
Eight re-elected, six fail
Friday, May 14, 2004
Ten sitting members of the dissolved House have been re-elected out of the total 15 in the fray from 20 constituencies in Kerala. Six have tasted defeat. Following is the list of sitting MPs who won the election: 1. A P Abdullahkutty (CPI-M)- Kannur; 2. N N Krishnadas (CPI-M) - Palakkad; 3. S Ajayakumar (CPI-M) - Ottappalam; 4. Dr Sebastian Paul (CPI-M -Ind) - Ernakulam; 5. K Suresh Kurup (CPI-M) - Kottayam; 6. P C Thomas (IFDP) - Muvattupuzha; 7. K Francis George (Kerala Congress-J)- Idukki; 8. P Rajendran (CPI-M) - Kollam; 9. Varkala Radhakrishnan (CPI-M) - Chirayinkeezhu; 10. E Ahamed (IUML) - Ponnani (last time from Manjeri). List of Sitting MPs who lost the elections: 1. A C Jose (INC) -Thrissur; 2. V M Sudheeran (INC) -Alappuzha; 3. Ramesh Chennithala (INC)- Mavelikkara; 4. Kodikunnil Suresh (INC) - Adoor; 5. V S Sivakumar (INC)- Thiruvananthapuram. [agency]
A lesson well taught in Kerala
Friday, May 14, 2004
If ever there was a revulsion vote in Kerala, it has just been delivered. Revulsion at a well-heeled and self-serving family's outrageous political blackmail. Revulsion at a weak-kneed but self-absorbed leader of an elected government who succumbed to the blackmail. Revulsion at the puny turncoat Congress politicos who paraded their hiccups daily on prime time TV and in print, mistaking the cynical laughter of their audience for approbation. Finally and painfully, there was revulsion at also the ruling front as a whole for their squandering of an unambiguous electoral mandate for good governance. The rickety coalition of caste-community interests that had coasted the UDF to power only three years ago cracked and crashed as never before. Many Muslim Leaguers did not vote the way the League leaders proposed. In Manjeri, they voted a communist of all people to victory. The church could not hector their sheep. In Ernakulam their chosen missionary lost. Through the space left open by the cracks, the NDA has won its first trophy in the State: Muvattupuzha. And in Trivandrum O. Rajagopal was not far behind. Except for the diehard UDF partisan and the incorrigible anti-communist, the voter had only one place to go, especially if he did not like the BJP. It was the LDF. And he crossed over with a vengeance even forgetting he was voting for the Lok Sabha. It was less difficult decision this time with Sonia and Surjeet holding hands in Delhi. One cannot blame the Kerala voter if for once he took the whole State for Wadakkanchery where Minister Muraleedharan has hopefully learned the lesson of his life. To brand this just as a negative vote would be as off the mark as to claim that it is an endorsement of all that a doctrinaire Left stands for in the State. It is an overwhelming indictment of the failure of Chief Minister A K Antony's leadership of the ruling front, especially his handling of the Congress party affairs. The Lok Sabha results can only reduce him to a lame duck leader. The irrepressible Karunakaran, as expected, is already baying for his blood. Local satraps like Balakrishna Pillai, and T.M. Jacob have no love lost for him. Muslim League and Kerala Congress (Mani) have every reason to see Antony as a political liability. Even his own life long supporters in the party remain reconciled to him for want of an alternative. There is more than moral ground for the Chief Minister to resign and let someone else run the show for the next two years.
2004 polls LDF's best performance
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 : For the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, this has been the best performance so far as it swept 18 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The previous best posting by the alliance led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) was in 1980, when it won 12 seats. The Congress-led ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) had won all the 20 seats in 1977. The other two seats in the current elections have gone to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s P.C. Thomas in Muvattupuzha and the Indian Union Muslim League's (IUML) E. Ahmed in Ponnani. IUML is a constituent of the UDF. This is the first time in the history of the Lok Sabha that there will be no Congress representative from Kerala. Leader of the opposition V.S. Achuthanandan said the Kerala electorate had handed a telling blow to Chief Minister A.K. Antony for his anti-people policies. "The lone NDA victory should be seen as a victory of certain UDF leaders who worked against their own partner and not as a victory for the NDA," Achuthanandan said.
LDF makes clean sweep of Kerala
Thursday, May 13, 2004
The CPI-M led opposition Left Democratic Front in Kerala made a clean sweep of 18 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. United Democratic Front partner Indian Union Muslim League and Indian Federation of Democratic Party an ally of the National Democratic Alliance won one each. CPI-M won 12 of the 13 seats it contested, CPI three out of four and JD (S), Kerala Congress and LDF-independent one each. Congress drew a blank failing to win a single seat out of the 17 it contested. The sole consolation for the ruling front was the victory of IUML candidate E Ahmed in Ponnani with an impressive margin of over 100,000 votes. While Kerala continues to be a barren land for BJP, IFDP's P C Thomas retained his seat, winning a grimly fought three-corner fight in Muvvattupuzha, which he won last time as UDF nominee.
Kerala rejects 'family politics'
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala on Thursday rebuffed 'family politics' handing down humiliating defeat to senior leader K. Karunakaran's son K. Muraleedharan in Wdakkancherry assembly seat and daughter Padmaja Venugopal in Mukundapuram Lok Sabha constituency. In Muvvattupuzha Lok Sabha seat state Revenue Minister K.M. Mani's son was relegated to third position by NDA-IFDP nominee and Union minister P.C. Thomas. Thomas, the lone NDA aspirant to win in the state, scraped through with a slender margin of 529 votes over his nearest CPI-M rival P.M. Ismail.
Left Democratic Front sweeps Lok Sabha polls in Kerala
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front on Thursday swept the Lok Sabha polls in Kerala by winning 18 of the 20 seats and the Wadakkancherry by-election to the state assembly. The Congress-led ruling United Democratic Front, which had 11 seats in the dissolved Lok Sabha, could secure only one seat through the Indian Union Muslim League, an UDF ally. The Congress suffered a complete rout without winning even a single seat. The NDA opened its account in the state by winning the Muvvattupuzha seat where Union Minister of State for Law and Justice P.C. Thomas was declared elected by a narrow margin of 529 votes. Thomas who won the seat in the 1999 election on the Kerala Congress(M) ticket later left the party and floated the Indian Federal Democratic Party(IFDP) which later allied with the NDA. The BJP which pinned great hopes on Union Minister of State for Defence O. Rajagopal in Thiruvananthapuram could finish only third. The defeat of State Electricity Minister K. Muraleedharan in Wadakkancherry Assembly by-election was also great shock to the Congress. While he was defeated in Wadakkancherry by a margin of over 3,000 votes, his sister Padmaja Venugopal lost to Lonappan Nambadan of the CPI(M) in the Mukundapuram Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of more than one lakh votes. Prominent among the elected included Janata Dal(Secular) State President M.P. Veerendrakumar(Kozhikode) and former Chief Minister P.K. Vasudevan Nair(CPI-Thiruvananthapuram). AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala (Mavelikkara), PCC Vice-President M.I. Shanawas(Chierayinkeezh) and former Assembly Speaker V.M. Sudheeran (Alappuzha) also lost the election.
Kerala rejects UDF
Thursday, May 13, 2004
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 13 Faced with a powerful anti-incumbency mood and widespread revulsion at the Congress infighting, the ruling United Democratic Front in Kerala today received a severe drubbing at the hustings, yielding 18 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats to CPI-M-led LDF and one to NDA. While the Congress drew a blank for the first time in the state's electoral history, a minor consolation for the ruling front was IUML leader E Ahmed's victory in Ponnani seat. The humiliation for the three-year-old A K Antony Government was complete when power minister K Muraleedharan was humbled by CPI-M candidate A C Moideen in Wadakkancherry assembly by-poll, making his resignation imminent. The ministerial position was awarded to him as part of a patch-up formula between Antony and his bete noire K Karunakaran. In a total reversal of the 2001 assembly poll when UDF swept to power winning 99 of 140 seats, the front failed to hold on in any part of the state, reflecting serious erosion of its cross-regional and multi-community support base. Cashing in on the popular mood, the CPI-M made fierce inroads into UDF strongholds breaking even the myth that Indian Union Muslim League is unbeatable in its citadel Manjeri, where CPI-M's T K Hamsa trounced the League contestant K P A Majeed. While Kerala once again proved a barren land for the Lotus to bloom, the NDA opened its account with the victory of IFDP's P C Thomas in Muvvattupuzha.
Cong's historical defeat in Kerala
Thursday, May 13, 2004
For the first time in Kerala's electoral history, the Congress party drew a complete blank in the Lok Sabha elections. Party nominees were drubbed in all 17 seats the Congress contested. The defeated candidates included five MPs of the outgoing 13th Lok Sabha, and high profile candidates such as senior leader K Karunakaran's daughter Padmaja Venugopal from Mukundapuram. Even in 1967, which ranked as the party's worst performance in a national election till date, the Congress had managed to win one seat. The humiliation for the three-year-old UDF government led by Chief Minister A K Antony was complete when State Electricity Minister K Muraleedharan lost the Wadakkancherry assembly seat in a grimly fought by-election. Muraleedharan, Karunakaran's son, was humbled by AC Moideen of the CPI-M, by a margin of 3,715 votes, in what was seen as a UDF bastion. The by-election was necessitated when, some three months previously, Murleedharan was hastily inducted into the Antony cabinet as part of a patch-up deal struck with his bete noire Karunakaran. The results overall reflected the resentment against the three-year old Antony-led government, and the impact of unabated infighting in the state unit of the Congress. Of the 20 seats on offer in the state, the rival LDF won five seats, and is leading in 14 others. Though the BJP is yet to break its jinx in the state, its ally the IFDP won Muvattupuzha when Union Minister P C Thomas defeated his LDF rival PM Ismail by a narrow 529-vote margin. For the UDF, the sole comfort was IUML leader E Ahmed winning Ponnani by 1,02,759 votes, over the CPI's PP Suneer. The IUML however was shocked in Manjeri, a traditional stronghold, when its nominee KPA Majeed lost to TK Hamsa of the CPM by over 48,178. The LDF retained Ernakulam (Sebastian Paul), Kozhikode (former Chief Minister MP Veerendrakumar), Chirayinkil (Varkala Radhakrishnan) and Lonappan Nambadan (Mukundapuram).
Vikram returns to Malayalam!
Thursday, May 13, 2004
After making his debut in The Tamil film Meera, Vikram had begun to concentrate on the Malayalam cine industry till he made a fabulous return to the Tamil films with Sethu. As a mark of gratitude and respect to the cine industry that trained him as an actor, Vikram has expressed his desire to do a film in Malayalam. Vikram has said that he is ready to set aside 30 days schedule if someone approaches him with a very good role that gives him immense possibilities to perform. Anybody interested?
Dileep in TV Chandran’s film!
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Dileep is one of the best commercial actors in Malayalam cinema right now. And TV Chandran is known for his offbeat films. For the first time TV Chandran ash signed up Dileep for his film. This is a milestone in Dileeps career as an actor. Presently Dileep is busy with Priyadarshans Vettam. As soon as he completes this film, he will begin working in the new film with TV Chandran. The film hasnt been named yet.
Kerala verdict reflects resentment at government: Karunakaran
Thursday, May 13, 2004
PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Veteran Congress leader K Karunakaran on Thursday said the drubbing received by the Congress-led UDF in Kerala reflected people's resentment at the A K Antony government. "Generally this reflects strong resentment against the government," Karunakaran told PTI when his reaction was sought about the outcome. Among the losing Congress candidates are the senior leader's daughter Padmaja Venugopal and three other candidates belonging to his camp.
Landslide win for Left, Congress wiped out in Kerala
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 : The Congress in Kerala was virtually wiped out with the Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) sweeping through the state Thursday winning 18 of the 20 seats. The other two seats went to the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) P.C. Thomas in Muvattupuzha and the Indian Union Muslim League's (IUML) E. Ahmed in Ponnani -- a constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). This is the first time in the history of the Lok Sabha that there will be no Congress representative from Kerala. For the LDF, however, this is by far its best performance. Its previous best was in 1980 when it won 12 seats. The UDF's best was in 1977 when it won all the 20 seats. Amongst the prominent losers was veteran parliamentarian V.M. Sudheeran, a close confidant of Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony, who has been aiming for a fourth consecutive victory from Alapuzha. He lost to K.S. Manoj of the LDF by a mere 894 votes. Another Congress candidate who looked like winning but lost in the end was All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Ramesh Chennithala -- defeated by C.S. Sujatha of the LDF in Mavelikara who won by 5,279 votes. A shocking defeat for the UDF was IUML candidate K.P.A. Majeed who lost against his cousin and LDF candidate T.K. Hamza by 43,970 votes in Manjeri. The NDA made its electoral debut with the surprise win of Union Minister of State for Law P.C. Thomas from Muvattupuzha, who won by the merest whisker of only 529 votes. Reacting to his party's thumping victory, state CPI-M secretary Pinnarayi Vijayan said that the people of Kerala had given a stunning blow to the performance of the Antony government. "There was all round disappointment in the manner in which Antony ruled the state and the people have given the correct verdict," he said. Veteran leader K. Karunakaran, whose daughter Padmaja Venugopal lost the Mukundapuram Lok Sabha seat by over 100,000 votes and whose son K. Muraleedharan was trailing in the Wadakanchery assembly constituency, said he was prepared to do anything to bring back the lost glory of the Congress. "All of us have to take stock of what happened," he said. In the last elections in 1999, the UDF had got 11 seats -- including eight of the Congress -- and the LDF nine.
Thomas helps BJP break the jinx in Kerala
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 Though the lotus did not bloom literally, the BJP has finally broken the jinx through an ally to open its account in Kerala. Whether it was his personal charm or NDA cadre power, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice P C Thomas - regarded as a ''friend-in-need'' in his constituency - proved to be one for the party in the state. He survived a strong pro-Left tide sweeping the state and anti-incumbency factor against the Vajpayee Government at the national level, to retain the Muvattupuzha seat on the Indian Federal Democratic Party (IFDP) ticket. After winning the seat for five times in a row for the Congress-led front, 52-year-old Thomas defeated his nearest Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate P M Ismail by over 500 votes, much to the cheer of the saffron class. It was also a double victory for Mr Thomas personally, as Mr Jose K Mani of the Kerala Congress (Mani), his parent party, slipped to the third position. Ironically, Mr Mani is also the son of State Revenue Minister K M Mani, the mentor of Mr Thomas. Without downplaying the contribution of his allies in the NDA, Mr Thomas termed his victory as ''populist'' with a larger section of the people coming to his support setting aside political considerations. ''Truth has prevailed over everything else,'' he said referring to his unceremonious expulsion from the party he had been long associated with and founded by his father P T Chacko, forcing him to float a new party and going into the BJP camp an year back, risking his political career. BJP put in much efforts to see the lotus bloom in Thiruvanthapuram and Muvattupuzha. However, its best bet Union Minister of State for Defence O Rajagopal finished third in the state capital behind Mr P K Vasudevan Nair (CPI),who won the seat and Congress rival V S Sivakumar. Led by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, a galaxy of national leaders visited the constituency and he was also projected as a Cabinet Minister in the next Government.
NDA makes entry in Kerala
Thursday, May 13, 2004
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Thursday registered its maiden electoral victory in Kerala with Union Minister of State for Law P.C. Thomas winning the parliamentary poll from Muvattupuzha. Though he has won the Muvattupuzha seat six times consecutively, Thursday's victory marks the first time that the state will send to parliament a candidate other than from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) or the United Democratic Front (UDF). His victory margin was a mere 529 votes. In the previous five elections, Thomas was a candidate of the Kerala Congress (Mani), an ally of the Congress-led UDF. However, soon after the May 2001 assembly polls, he fell out with his mentor, state Revenue Minister K.M. Mani. Mani was apparently of the view that Thomas stood in the way of his son and political heir Jose K. Mani's future. Fin |
