Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated VD Satheesan on becoming the Chief Minister of Kerala and pledged central government support.
A man named Sony Thomas has been arrested in Kerala for allegedly making phone calls threatening to kill Chief Minister VD Satheesan and his family. Police tracked the calls made to the Thiruvananthapuram City District Police Command and Control Centre. In a separate incident, Thaliparamba MLA TK Govindan also received a death threat call, with the caller identified by police.
The Congress party has announced VD Satheesan as the next chief minister of Kerala, ending days of speculation. The decision was revealed at a press conference in New Delhi.
V D Satheesan was sworn in as Kerala's Chief Minister, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administering the oath of office. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by prominent political figures, including Congress leaders and Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states.
Kerala's Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan visited senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, emphasising their close relationship and seeking blessings for his new role.
'He worked over time to become the natural claimant,' a senior UDF leader observed. 'Others had organisational stature, but Satheesan had momentum.' For the Congress, it may signal the beginning of a new leadership template -- one where performance, communication and grassroots credibility increasingly outweigh inherited power structures in deciding who leads the party into its next phase.
'The most enduring part of Satheesan's personality is he is good at heart. That is the reason why everybody, from the old to small children, get attracted to him.'
As the CLP meeting passed a resolution authorising the party's high command to decide the next CM, observers will file a report to the Congress national leadership, who will take the final call.
Actor Unni Mukundan has praised the Kerala government and police for their ongoing "Operation Toofan," a sustained crackdown on narcotics and organised drug networks across the state. He lauded Chief Minister VD Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala for their decisive action and highlighted the positive impact on public faith in law enforcement.
Ernakulam DCC president Mohammed Shiyas criticised the previous LDF government's neglect of the district and expressed optimism for development under the UDF regime, citing sufficient representation in the state cabinet and a focus on addressing key issues.
The LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan announced that the Left front would seek public input to address shortcomings after their defeat in the Kerala Assembly elections, where they won only 35 out of 140 seats.
'They will have to adjust themselves to the new reality. Because if they don't understand this changed political perception, their future will be difficult.'
In a state known for high political literacy and ideological mobilisation, the Congress' inability to quickly settle on a leader after securing a massive mandate has fed a narrative that the party remains excessively dependent on Delhi, deeply faction-ridden and vulnerable to internal sabotage
Kerala's Leader of Opposition, V.D. Satheesan, has criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) leaders for their language and government spending on advertising.
Kerala's voters are sophisticated, educated, and unforgiving. They have once again made it clear that no government is entitled to remain in power. The Congress would do well to remember this, points out Ramesh Menon.
Police in Kannur, Kerala, have launched an investigation into Kannur Dental College following the death of a first-year student, Nithin Raj RL, who allegedly died by suicide after facing emotional harassment from faculty members. The college has suspended two faculty members and is cooperating with the police investigation.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has declined to comment on reports claiming he held discussions with CPI(M) members in Dubai. CPI(M) dismisses speculation about Tharoor joining, while Congress denies he is leaving.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has questioned Congress leaders regarding their alleged connections to the accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, dismissing claims of his own involvement and demanding answers about the accused's access to Sonia Gandhi.
A controversy surrounding the gold-clad plates of the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala temple has ignited a political row in Kerala, with opposition parties alleging theft and demanding a comprehensive investigation into temple inventories and the role of a sponsor in the replating process.
Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, suspended from the party over sexual misconduct allegations, attended the Kerala Assembly session, claiming his presence was not in defiance of the party. The move has drawn criticism and sparked reactions from various political leaders.
The Kerala Assembly passed a bill allowing for the establishment of private universities in the state. This marks a significant policy shift for the CPI(M)-led government, which had previously opposed privatization of education. The bill was passed by voice vote following discussions on Monday and Tuesday. The opposition raised concerns about the potential impact of private universities on public institutions and questioned the practicality of the requirements for starting a private university. However, the government defended the bill, stating it was a necessary step to improve higher education in Kerala and elevate public universities to global standards.
Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on Sunday said the UDF will take part in all the rehabilitation efforts and work towards restoring normalcy in the lives of the survivors.
'Abuse, asking for sexual favours, and expecting women to compromise to gain a foothold or accelerate their careers exist in every field. Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind?'
The KPCC made this decision simultaneously as Sarin announced a press conference in Palakkad, declaring his intention to work with the Left Democratic Front moving forward.
The Opposition Congress alleged that the blast, which occurred around 1 am according to the police, happened during the manufacturing of country-made bombs by some CPI-M supporters.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Friday, recalled "an old name of Rahul Gandhi" to attack the Congress leader, who a day earlier had wondered why the Marxist veteran was not jailed by the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre, unlike two other chief ministers of Opposition-ruled states.
A CBI court in Kerala sentenced 10 individuals to life imprisonment for the murder of two Youth Congress workers in 2019. Four others, including a former CPI(M) MLA, received five years in prison. The court found the accused guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy, citing political rivalry as the motive. The case involved the deaths of Kripesh and Sarath Lal P K, who were allegedly killed by CPI(M) workers in Kasaragod district. The verdict sparked reactions from both the Congress and CPI(M), with the Congress calling it a blow to the CPI(M)'s violent political culture and the CPI(M) challenging the verdict and claiming political motives in the CBI investigation.
Khan said when any ordinance or Bill comes before him, he applies his mind to ascertain whether it is constitutionally and legally sound.
However, there were conflicting reports about the number of blasts as state ministers VN Vasavan and Antony Raju said there were two blasts, while Congress MP from Ernakulam, Hibi Eden, said there were multiple blasts according to one of his friends who attended the convention.
The police search comes just a couple of days after a group of SFI activists allegedly trespassed into the Kochi office of the news channel and intimidated the staff.
On a day a sexual abuse case was registered against actor Siddique based on a complaint by a woman actor, the Left government appears to have adopted a cautious approach in the case of MLA Mukesh, with two ministers indicating that further action hinges on the findings of the probe by the special police team.
Meanwhile, the Congress and RSP whole-heartedly backed the Kollam MP.
Regarding Satheesan, he said that "if we see each other at the venue, then we will see".
A court of chief judicial magistrate granted the police 60 days to carry out the probe and directed it to provide progress reports every three weeks, public prosecutor K Balachandra Menon said.
Several people are still feared trapped in the debris after a series of landslides that occurred in Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Wayanad.
The Congress in Kerala on Friday approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the decision of Doordarshan to telecast the controversial movie The Kerala Story, saying it was a 'tacit effort' to divide society on religious grounds to further the electoral prospects of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The incident occurred on the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train in which two months ago a man had set fire to his co-passengers, which resulted in three deaths including a toddler, leading to speculation that it might be a case of sabotage and connected to the earlier one.
The proposed committee, to be headed by the secretary of medical education, would study various issues raised by postgraduate students and house surgeons and submit a report within one month, health minister Veena George said.
Going against the assurances given to the Kerala high court, the protesters agitating in front of the under-construction Vizhinjam seaport had on Saturday blocked the trucks carrying construction materials to the site.
The survivor, in her plea, also raised serious allegations against the trial court saying the presiding officer has some "vested interest to save the culprits".
