The New Indian Express News

Sayed Ali Majeed, a member of Kerala's ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), who won in the Thennela Panchayat in Malappuram, has sparked controversy with sexist remarks in his victory speech. Majeed, who won the election with a margin of 47 votes, targeted the Muslim League for fielding women candidates. He said that women brought through marriage are not for displaying before strangers for votes, to capture a ward or to defeat him. He added that married women are for sleeping with their h

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting to rest speculation that the Congress may join hands with the CPM to prevent the BJP from coming to power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday said that no such discussions had taken place within the party. There will be no move from the side of the Congress to sabotage the peoples verdict, and the rest of the matters will only be decided after party discussions, Chennithala said while speaking to the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bhagyalakshmi, the renowed dubbing artist, on Monday criticised actor Mohanlal for sharing the poster of the film Bha Bha Ba shortly after the verdict in the actress assault case , calling it insensitive and thoughtless. Speaking to reporters at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) venue, Bhagyalakshmi questioned whether Mohanlal had reflected even for a moment before sharing the poster of the film, which stars Dileep - the eighth accused in the case -in the lead,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: NDAs thumping performance in the elections to the corporation council has placed it firmly on the threshold of power, with independent councillors and the postponed Vizhinjam ward election emerging as decisive factors in shaping the final balance. The BJP-led NDA won 50 of the 101 wards, falling just one short of an absolute majority, while the LDF was reduced to 27 wards and the UDF secured 19 wards. With independents winning two seats, the fronts have started efforts to ens

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Last years IFFK had focused on women in cinema, and this year too, the female presence seems strong. Auteurs in the fairer of the sex seem to be in considerable number in most categories. Two films from the Indian stock, which were shown on the second and third days of the festival, have turned heads for the evocative narratives centred around women. Nidhi Saxenas Secret of the Mountain Serpent and Anuparna Roys Song of Forgotten Trees take seemingly similar paths of women w

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The local body election results in Nedumangad have once again shown the municipalitys reputation as a Left bastion. By winning 29 of the 42 wards, the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) not only retained power but also improved its tally from the previous polls. CPM leader and outgoing chairperson C S Sreeja attributed the LDFs improved seat count to what she described as grit and dedication in municipal governance. The victory assumes significance given how anti-incumbency

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF is set to return to power at the Neyyattinkara municipal council. It won 25 seats in the just-concluded local body polls, seven more than in the previous term. Meanwhile, the UDF and the NDA suffered setbacks, losing five and two sitting seats, respectively, and gaining none. Two independent candidates too registered victories V P Shinoj in Thozhukkal ward and Biju T S from Amaravila. What perhaps aided the LDF this time around was its bold decision to give the ticke

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The anti-incumbency undercurrent that shaped the 2025 local body elections also dimmed the electoral ambitions of most out-of-state parties, thwarting their efforts to consolidate a foothold in the state. This time, only parties embedded in Keralas established political alliances managed to post any gains. Prominent out-of-state parties such as the RJD and the JD(S), which contested under the LDF banner, performed relatively better, largely in rural areas. While the RJD won a

MALAPPURAM: The IUML has voiced deep dissatisfaction over what it describes as inadequate representation in southern Kerala within the UDF, warning that the issue could have wider implications for future seat-sharing arrangements. IUML state general secretary P M A Salam told TNIE that despite being denied seats in five district panchayats in the southern region, the party delivered a stronger electoral performance than several UDF constituents an apparent reference to the Revolutionary Sociali

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Left reeling after the local body poll debacle, a battered LDF has set in motion a thorough review of its electoral performance. Calls have already begun from within the front for deep introspection and course correction, similar to the exercise it undertook after the 2019 electoral defeat. Both the CPM and the CPI state secretariat meetings on Monday and the LDF meeting scheduled on Wednesday are set to explore measures to win back the ruling fronts lost mass base. A quick a

KOCHI: It began as a bold political move, but ended up a costly mistake. In trying to redraw its voter map, the CPM appears to have scribbled all over it. By sharpening its stand against Islamic extremism, the party hoped to draw on Hindu and Christian voters. Instead, the strategy backfired Muslim voters felt alienated, Christian support remained weak, and even sections of the Hindu base slipped away. What made the setback sharper was that the party chose this risky path after sidelining its o

KOLLAM: The BJP has achieved a steady rise in its electoral presence across municipal bodies in district in the just concluded local body elections, improving its ward tally compared to the 2020 polls and emerging as a significant third force in key urban centres. In the Kollam corporation, the NDA doubled its tally from six wards in 2020 to 12 this time. A similar trend was seen in Karunagappally municipality, where the BJP increased its representation from two wards in the previous election to

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The NDA wresting control of Thiruvananthapuram corporation on December 13 from over two decades of LDF rule has drawn national attention, marking a rare breakthrough for the BJP in a state traditionally dominated by the CPM-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF. Eight months earlier, in April, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar responded to critics branding him an outsider unfamiliar with Keralas culture and language. I know how to wear a mundu (dhoti) and tuck it. I know

KOZHIKODE: For decades, some panchayats were spoken of in political shorthand as safe, solid, and sealed. The 2025 local body results tore up that vocabulary. Voters, it appears, had other plans. One by one, long-held Left bastions slipped, and the UDF walked in through doors once thought firmly shut. At the district panchayat level, the contest was finely balanced, with the UDF securing 14 seats, narrowly edging past the LDFs 13, while others claimed one seat. Though the numerical difference is

KOZHIKODE: Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has alleged that the IUML is mounting attacks on its cadre at various parts of north Kerala after the declaration of the results of the local body elections. The party said that its leader Salim Punathil was attacked by IUML workers when he was returning home after the victory celebrations on Saturday. In a statement, SDPI said the attack was a result of conspiracy hatched by IUML leadership to create tension. The party had won the ward number t

KALPETTA : The 37-year-old Soumya S, the courageous woman whose dramatic real-life confrontation with chain snatchers became the inspiration for the Navya Nair-starrer Oruthee, has successfully transitioned from a celebrated local heroine to an elected political representative. Running on a CPI ticket, Soumya secured a remarkable victory in the 12th ward (Emily Thadam) of the Kalpetta municipality. Her win is not just a personal achievement but a significant political coup, as Emily Thadam has b

KOCHI: For decades, Keralas Christian electorate was seen as a largely settled constituency, divided mainly between the Congress-led UDF and, in pockets, the Left. The latest local body election results, however, suggest that this assumption is beginning to fray. While the BJPs seat gains remain limited, the party believes its focused Christian outreach has triggered a measurable vote shift one that may not yet deliver widespread victories, but is steadily altering the electoral arithmetic. The

ALAPPUZHA: The local body elections have brought to fore the diminishing ability of community leaders to influence political outcomes, particularly within the Ezhava community. Despite a clear political stand taken by the SNDP Yogam leadership in favour of the LDF, and the presence of the BDJS, the political arm of the community, as a constituent of the NDA, the electoral outcome sharply contradicts these alignments. The UDF emerged with a decisive advantage across the state, exposing serious or

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: One of the images that several Left cadres recall with grudging resentment post LDFs below-par performance in the local body elections is that of a community leader, known for his provocative statements and anti-Muslim sentiments, getting down from the chief ministers official vehicle, along with the CM. The incident during the Global Ayyappa Sangamam in September last had triggered hush-hush discussions within Left circles, especially after the CPM leadership trained its gun

KOCHI: The Congress-led UDFs strong showing in Thrissur, after nearly a decade of lacklustre performances, has come as a surprise to many observers. This is especially so in the backdrop of widespread speculation that the BJP would reap a lions share of anti-incumbency gains, buoyed by its impressive performance in the last Lok Sabha elections. Reports suggesting that sections of the Christian community had drifted towards NDA further fuelled expectations that the BJP would sweep Thrissur corpor

MALAPPURAM: The UDFs sweep of all local bodies in the Nilambur assembly constituency has triggered a bitter credit war between Congress MLA Aryadan Shoukath and Trinamool Congress leader P V Anvar, with both sides claiming to be the decisive victory factor. UDF captured Amarambalam, Chungathara and Pothukallu grama panchayats and Nilambur municipality all previously ruled by CPM-led LDF marking a complete political turnaround in the Nilambur belt. Claiming credit for the shift, Anvar said his

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The race for the mayors chair has emerged as a key strategic challenge for the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram corporation, with the party yet to take a final call between senior councillor V V Rajesh and former DGP R Sreelekha. While both leaders enjoy strong backing within the party, the decision is being closely watched as it is expected to signal the BJPs long-term political approach in the Kerala capital. A section in the party is pressing for Rajesh, citing his long experienc

KOZHIKODE: If you wanna call out, call out all religious fundamentalism, screamed a Facebook post from a CPM sympathiser agitated over the double standard of painting the BJP victory in Thiruvananthapuram as communal while refusing to see the IUML victory in Malappuram along the same lines. Speak class politics. Address labourers, students, women, and Gen Z. And come back, wrote another party sympathiser on social media, calling for a complete course correction in the party. These two contrastin

KASARAGOD: With the victory in the just concluded elections, the BJP would complete ruling Madhur grama panchayat for fifty years by 2030. Madhur is one among the places the saffron party found its roots as an off-shoot of BJP finding its base in coastal Karnataka. Since its inception in 1980, the grama panchayat has been with the party. Nevertheless, the party has something to worry as it has lost considerable ground in the district. While the state stood firmly with the Congress and CPM four d

KOCHI: On Monday afternoon, the Ernakulam Town Hall will turn into a theatre of Congress triumph. Winners of the local body polls from across Ernakulam district including Kochi Corporation will assemble for victory celebrations, inaugurated by V D Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition, who has just steered the party through its most emphatic performance in years. MPs, MLAs, former legislators, DCC and KPCC office-bearers, mandalam and block presidents will be present, but the subtext will be

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LSG poll outcome from the capital district will be a major morale booster for the UDF and the NDA in the run up to the 2026 assembly polls, while the LDF, which got a drubbing, will be prompted to have an introspection about its poll strategy and ideate plans that could help them tide over the seemingly pulsating anti-incumbency factor. Though it fell short of wresting the district panchayat, UDF has strong reasons to rejoice as it improved upon its tally of six from 2020

KOCHI: As the Congress-led UDF swept to a resounding victory in the local body elections, a three-and-a-half-minute election parody emerged as an unlikely yet influential force, complementing a host of other factors that shaped the outcome. The parody song Swarnam kattavar aarappa sakhakkal aane Ayyappa -- set to the familiar tune of an Ayyappa devotional song and alleging that the comrades looted Lord Ayyappas gold -- struck a deep chord with voters and conveyed UDFs political message effective

KOCHI: Soon after his acquittal in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case, actor Dileep alleged that he was falsely implicated as part of a larger conspiracy involving senior police officers, an argument that found resonance in the trial courts observations on lapses in investigation. The verdict raised questions on the absence of Dinendra Kashyap, then inspector general of police (crimes) and head of the special investigation team (SIT), during Dileeps interrogation. Interestingly, th

KOCHI: The trial court in the actor abduction and assault case held that the prosecutions claim of a failed plan by N S Sunil aka Pulsar Suni and his accomplices to sexually abuse the survivor in Goa in January 2017, nearly a month before the actual crime in Kochi, was not proved. This allegation formed a key part of the prosecutions case. However, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court observed that assumptions and inferences cannot substitute proof. The prosecution mainly relied on the testimo

KOCHI: DySP Baiju Paulose, who had probed the 2017 actress assault case, has written to the state police chief seeking a probe into the alleged leakage of the verdict before it was pronounced by the court. The communiqu was sent to Ravada A Chandrasekhar on Saturday. Responding to the matter, Byju told TNIE that the letter was not a complaint but a formal letter to inform the state police chief of concerns related to the anonymous letter containing details of the courts judgment. As the investig

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Rajendra Arlekar has criticised the Supreme Court for its overreach in the selection of university vice-chancellors. He was referring to the search committee formed by the SC to appoint VCs to the Digital University Kerala and the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. This trend is not healthy. Institutions like universities are well-established constitutional bodies. They must be allowed to perform their duties within their own domains. Courts taking over their

Actor Manju Warrier on Friday reacted to the verdict in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case with a social media post, after the survivor posted her reaction to the trial courts decision that acquitted the eighth accused, actor Dileep. In her post, Manju said she held the court in respect but could not say that justice had been fully delivered. Only those who committed the crime have been punished so far. The fact that those who planned it, whoever they may be, are still out in the o

KOCHI: The survivor in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual assault case has come out against the trial court verdict acquitting actor Dileep , the eighth accused. In a social media post, she stated, After years of pain, tears, and emotional struggle, I have come to a painful realisation: not every citizen in this country is treated equally before the law. At the end of the day, this verdict made me realise how strongly human judgment can shape decisions. I also know that not every court function

KOLLAM: With the UDF securing 27 seats in the 56-member Kollam corporation, the decades-long LDF hold over the civic body has come to an end. The LDF was reduced to 16 seats, while the NDA registered a sharp rise, winning 12 seats. Congress sources attributed the victory to an early start to door-to-door campaigning and sustained grassroots mobilisation. Though the UDF fell short of the absolute majority mark of 29 seats, the mayor will be elected through a vote of the councillors, as per the Ke

MALAPPURAM: Nilambur municipality, once showcased as a rare Left breakthrough in Malappuram, delivered a resounding verdict on Saturday, throwing the LDF out of power and restoring the UDF with an overwhelming majority. The LDF, which had ruled the council since its historic 2020 win, was reduced to just six seats, while the UDF swept 26 of the 36 wards. According to the final results, the IUML, which had drawn a blank in the previous council, made a strong comeback by winning seven seats. The o

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Local body polls often signal the changing course of Kerala politics. On Saturday, political Kerala witnessed one of the biggest comebacks of recent times, with the Congress-led UDF scripting an authoritative victory in the two-phase local body elections held on December 9 and 11, and the ruling LDF nearly washed out. Riding on an anti-incumbency wave, the UDF garnered a stupendous victory, winning four out of six municipal corporations, seven district panchayats, 54 municipa

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday said the NDAs strong performance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections reflected public acceptance of the partys development agenda and a clear rejection of the LDFs governance in the state capital. This result clearly shows that people have accepted the BJPs development vision. The BJP will fulfil every promise made in its manifesto and develop the state capital into one of the countrys leading cities, Chandrasek

KOCHI: Overwhelmed by the resounding victory in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP has ignored the bruises it suffered across the state in the local body elections. The massive preparations at the grassroots level paid off as the NDA has increased its representation in local bodies, but the party failed to secure a clear majority in Palakkad , a fortress it held for more than a decade. The saffron party finished a distant third in the Pandalam municipality which it ruled in 2020. Another se

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the CPM-led LDF suffered a rout in the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, it fared well in all the four municipalities in the district. Interestingly, it retained them with a performance bettering even the 2020 tally. The LDF cruised to simple majority in Nedumangad and Neyyattinkara municipalities, while in Attingal and Varkala, it became the biggest coalition but ended tantalisingly close to breaching the threshold. Requiring 22 seats for a majority, LDF coasted to 29

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The minimal headway made by opposition parties in Attingal municipality has helped save LDFs face here in securing the most number of votes in the local body polls. However, the front cannot hail this their complete victory, as it falls one seat short of a clear majority, with only 16 seats in the 32-member council. While UDF and BJP managed to win seven seats each here, the victory of two independent candidates remains critical in the municipality. Though Attingal has been a

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Varkala municipality has delivered a clear mandate this time, with the LDF retaining power. Out of the 34 wards, the front secured 16 seats, pushing the NDA to a distant second with 10. The UDF slipped in to the third place with only six seats. The support of two independent councillors will now be crucial, as the LDF requires 18 seats to secure a ruling majority. In the 2020 elections, the LDF had won 12 seats, the NDA 11, the UDF 7, and independents 3. The LDF had formed th

KOCHI: The prosecution failed to prove to the trial court the purpose of Pulsar Sunis visit to Laksyah, a clothing business run by Kavya Madhavan. At one stage, the prosecution asserted that Suni intended to collect quotation money for the abduction and sexual abuse of the actor on February 17, 2017. It also claimed that first accused Suni and fourth accused Vijeesh V P visited Laksyah to hand over a letter. Simultaneously, the prosecution took the stand that the visit was to deliver a memory ca

KOTTAYAM: In the fiercely-contested Pala municipality election, two young women in their 20s have stolen the show, scripting stunning victories Riya Bino Cheeramkuzhy and Diya Binu Pulikkakandam. Riya, an offroader with a penchant for adventure, won Kaveekunnu ward (320 votes) on a Congress ticket, while Diya, an economics graduate, triumphed in Palampurayidom as an independent candidate (279 votes). On her victory, Riya, 24, said, I am delighted to have won in my first election. I will serve t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) decision to field R Sreelekha, a former State Police Chief-rank officer, for a ward councillors post for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election was one that raised eyebrows. However, the bold yet peculiar move has paid rich dividends. With the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) sweeping half of the 100 seats in the corporation, Sreelekha, who won with a sweeping majority at Sasthamangalam ward, is among the frontrunners for the M

KOCHI: Though the prosecution in the 2017 actor abduction and sexual abuse case cited the motive as Dileeps enmity and desire for revenge against the survivor for tattling on him to his first wife about his alleged illicit relationship with Kavya Madhavan, the Ernakulam Principal Sessions Court found the claim unsubstantiated. The matter first came to light when Manju Warrier read messages sent by Kavya to Dileeps mobile phone. However, the court noted that these messages were not produced befor

KOCHI: It has been a virtual balancing act for many! This local self-government election has seen several young candidates who gained social media popularity surge to victory. The streak began with UDF candidate Vyshna Suresh, who won the Muttada ward of Thiruvananthapuram corporation considered a Left stronghold by a margin of 397 votes. Vyshna secured 1,607 votes, dealing a major setback to Kesavadasapuram sitting councillor Amsu Vamadevan. The victory assumed as it followed a dramatic contr

MALAPPURAM: Ponmundam panchayat, long regarded an anomaly in Keralas coalition politics, has delivered a verdict that rewrites its political history. The Congress-CPM-backed Janakeeya Munnani on Saturday swept the local body polls, winning 13 of the 18 wards and ending decades of uninterrupted Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) dominance. The result marks the most emphatic comeback of the much-maligned Sambar Munnani the Congress-CPM combine nearly three decades after its first, abortive experi

KOCHI: Registering an improved performance with each passing election, the BJP finally emerged as the single largest party in Tripunithura municipality. With 21 seats in the 53-member council, the BJP however failed to secure a simple majority. The ruling LDF was reduced to 20 seats, while the UDF only managed to win 12. Though the LDF and the UDF together hold 32 seats, chances of the two fronts coming together to keep the BJP out of power are grim especially considering the implications of su

IDUKKI: Kanniyamma Alakarswami may have only won the Kanthalloor panchayat election by the narrowest of margins (13 votes), but the victory could not be any more profound. Having secured the peoples mandate here is also indicative of the fact that they have now embraced Kanniyamma, who was expelled years ago from the Muthuvan community for defying tribal customs. Contesting on a Congress ticket, the 60-year-old won 191 votes and pipped BJP candidate Anitha C, who managed only 178 votes. CPIs Mee

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Six former MLAs who stepped back into electoral politics through the local body polls this time delivered a mixed verdict for their parties, combining clear wins, narrow margins and close defeats. Drawing on long legislative and grassroots experience, four candidates won, while two fell short by slim margins. Former legislators R Lathadevi, K C Rajagopal, K S Sabarinadhan and Anil Akkara secured wins in their respective wards and divisions, while A V Gopinathan and E M August