Arun Lakshman

Stories by Arun Lakshman

CPM politburo supports corruption, says Congress

CPM politburo supports corruption, says Congress

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2009

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala has charged the Communist Party of India-Marxist Poliburo of supporting corruption in the party by aligning with the official faction of the party in the multicrore SNC Lavalin corruption case.

Kerala firing: Suspended cops threatened

Kerala firing: Suspended cops threatened

Rediff.com   23 May 2009

Islamic fundamentalists have issued threats to police officers, who were suspended following the firing at Thiruvananthapuram on May 17, which resulted in six deaths.The deaths have created a furor in Kerala, and the state government has ordered the suspension of six police officials, in the wake of wide-spread public resentment against the erring policemen.The Popular Front, which is the new incarnation of the National Development Front, is believed to responsible.

Muslims call hartal in Thiruvananthapuram

Muslims call hartal in Thiruvananthapuram

Rediff.com   18 May 2009

Various Muslim organisations have jointly called for a dawn to dusk hartal in Thriuvananthapuram on Tuesday, following the killing of five people near the Beemapally area in the city in police firing on Sunday evening.

Is Kerala chief minister on his way out?

Is Kerala chief minister on his way out?

Rediff.com   8 May 2009

The CPI-M official faction, which is in a bitter fight with the octogenarian party leader and Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, has demanded his resignation on the issue of diverse opinion from the party secretariat decision on the multi-crore corruption scam in the SNC Lavalin power project deal in which the CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is an accused. The CPI-M secretariat has come out against the chief minister in which he is also a member.

No more action needed against Vijayan'

No more action needed against Vijayan'

Rediff.com   2 May 2009

The Kerala state advocate general, C.P.Sudhakara Prasad, has given his opinion in the multi-crore corruption case involving the Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and has opined that the prosecution need not take any action against the former state electricity minister.

Kerala CM attacks rival openly

Kerala CM attacks rival openly

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2009

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, whose head may be on the chopping block, has decided to go hammer and tongs against his bitter rival in the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Pinarayi Vijayan. While answering questions on the party secretary's comment about the inclusion of a new nominee from the Janata Dal in to his cabinet, the Chief Minister said that it was not the party secretary (Vijayan) but the Left Democratic Front which is the ultimate decision maker.

Late entrants may change equations in Kerala

Late entrants may change equations in Kerala

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2009

Bharatiya Janata Party state president P K Krishnadas and Nationalist Congress Party state president and former Member of Parliament, K Muraleedhran, who are contesting from Thiruvananthapuram and Wynad respectively, may prove to be the proverbial dark horses in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Madani's wife role should be investigated: Court

Madani's wife role should be investigated: Court

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2009

The Aluva magistrate court in Kerala has directed the police to conduct a detailed investigation on the role played by the wife of the PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani in in the Kalamassery bus burning incident a couple of years ago.

LTTE boat spotted, Kerala on high alert

LTTE boat spotted, Kerala on high alert

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2009

Security has been stepped up across Kerala's coastal belt from Cherthala to Kochi this afternoon following reports of a group of suspected LTTE cadre landing in a boat at Thyckal Beach in the district today.

Kerala CM defies party stance

Kerala CM defies party stance

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2009

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who is also a member of the Communist Party of India Marxist politburo, has openly come out against the CPI-M's stance on People's Democratic Party leader Abdul Nasser Madani .The veteran leader, while fielding questions at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, said that the government would investigate whether any cases were pending against Madani. An unabashed Madani welcomed the chief minister's statement.

Security tightened in Kerala airports

Security tightened in Kerala airports

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2009

Security has been tightened in all three airports in Kerala -- Thiruvananthapuram ,Kochi and Kozhikode -- after a warning from the Air India Mumbai office that there is a possibility of an LTTE attack on Kerala airports.

Kerala government to probe Madani's terror links

Kerala government to probe Madani's terror links

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2009

It had been reported in a section of the media Madani and his wife had links with some extremist elements, who were shot dead by the army in Kashmir .It may be recalled that four youths from Kerala were killed I an encounter while they were trying to cross the border into Pakistan.

Left front allies reconcile in Kerala

Left front allies reconcile in Kerala

Rediff.com   15 Mar 2009

The Communist Party of India-Marxist leadership which had shut its doors on the CPI and had unilaterally given the green signal to the Abdul Nasser Madani sponsored candidate Hussain Randathany to go ahead with the election campaign in Ponnani Lok Sabha constituency has now reconciled.

Two killed in political violence in Kannur

Two killed in political violence in Kannur

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2009

Kannur in northern Kerala, which witnessed violent clashes between supporters of the Communist Party of India Marxist and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over the last decade, is tense again after the recent killings of a CPI-M member and a RSS worker.Ajit, a CPI-M member, was killed in an STD booth that he owns while RSS worker Vinayan was killed when he was sitting in the verandhah of a shop.The violent clashes between the CPI-M and the RSS has claimed over 500 lives.

CPI-M finalizes Kerala candidates for LS polls

CPI-M finalizes Kerala candidates for LS polls

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2009

The Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretariat meeting held at the party headquarters AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has finalized the name of party candidates fighting the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

Attukal Pongala celebrated in Kerala

Attukal Pongala celebrated in Kerala

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2009

Pongala falls on the penultimate day of the 10-day festival at Attukal temple. Boiling earthen pots spread around 6 km around the city premises headlined the festive spirit. All roads in Thiruvananthapuram led to the Attukal temple on Tuesday with celebrities conducting the rituals shoulder to shoulder with the common women.

CPI-M expels Kerala MP

CPI-M expels Kerala MP

Rediff.com   7 Mar 2009

The Communist Party of India Marxist has expelled A P Abdullakutty, its sitting Member of Parliament from Kannur, who has been at loggerheads with the party's district and state leadership.Abdullakutty was first elected to the Parliament in 1999, at the age of 28, while he was the state president of the Students Federation of India.Abdullakutty has been having problems with the party's state leadership due to his reported closeness to Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan.

Rahul Gandhi kick starts campaign in Kerala

Rahul Gandhi kick starts campaign in Kerala

Rediff.com   5 Mar 2009

Congress general secretary and party youth icon Rahul Gandhi kick started the United Democratic Front election campaign by addressing the Kerala Raksha march conducted by the state party president Ramesh Chennithala. In his speech, he called upon senior party leaders to start a package for Keralites who are suffering after the global crisis hit the Gulf region which has led to several people from the state returning home.

Kerala BJP unhappy with LS poll dates

Kerala BJP unhappy with LS poll dates

Rediff.com   2 Mar 2009

The Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party is unhappy with the Lok Sabha poll schedule for the state.P K Krishnadas, president of the BJP's state unit, told reporters that the last day of campaigning falls on April 14, which clashes with Vishu, the most popular Hindu festival in Kerala. BJP's state general secretary M T Ramesh informed reporters that the party has already petitioned the EC about changing the election dates in Kerala.

Muslim politics takes a turn in Kerala

Muslim politics takes a turn in Kerala

Rediff.com   2 Mar 2009

The Muslim politics in Kerala has taken a turn with the advent of the Popular Front, a political party floated with the support of four Islamic organisations of South India.