Kerala News

Roshan Mathews fiery character poster from `Chatha Pacha` released

Roshan Mathew marks 10 years in cinema with a powerful new avatar in Chatha Pacha, as the makers unveil his intense first-look poster. The upcoming action film promises a mad, vibrant world rooted in Keralas wrestling culture

Actress assault case; Dileeps Mental stress message to CM

Hours before a crucial verdict, new trial details emerged in the Kerala actress assault case. Actor Dileep sent a message to CM Pinarayi Vijayan five days post-assault, citing extreme mental stress despite innocence. Prosecution argues this outreach, along with contacting police, stemmed from fear of exposure, linking it to a personal relationship dispute as the alleged motive.

Kerala local body polls: Candidates make final pitch to voters as open campaigning for Phase 1 draws to a close on Dec. 7

In play in the first phase of polling on Tuesday (December 9) are three Municipal Corporations, 39 municipalities, seven district panchayats and 75 block panchayats

Kerala actress assault case: 8-year timeline of the trial

TRIGGER WARNING: The article contains references to rape and abuse.On February 17, 2017, a leading Malayalam actress was abducted while travelling to a film set in Thrissur. A group of men assaulted her inside a moving vehicle and recorded videos of the attack. The actor reported the crime the very next day. This alone was groundbreaking as her courage became the first crack in an industry that operated with silence and fear.

Kerala: Massive fire destroys over 10 fishing boats in Kollam; no casualties reported

A fire broke out before dawn on Sunday at a boat-anchoring point on Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam, destroying more than ten fishing boats. The blaze started around 2:30 am near Kureepuzha church, close to the Ayyankovil temple. Officials said the cause is still not known, but no injuries were reported.

Try mediation, says SC in sexual abuse case involving Litmus 7 Systems CEO

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday urged parties involved in a sexual harassment case against Venu Gopalakrishnan, CEO of Kochis Litmus 7 Systems Consulting, to explore mediation to resolve their dispute. A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan said, ...We find that in the interest of all parties, there ought to be a settlement. The matter is referred to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre. The parties are directed to appear before the Centre on 07.01.2026 in person or through videoconferencing. On September 11, the Kerala High Court had denied anticipatory bail to Gopalakrishnan, citing the very serious nature of allegations. The other accused in the case Jacob P Thampy, Eby Paul, and Bimalraj Haridas were granted anticipatory bail. Gopalakrishnan had approached the Supreme Court, which on September 26 stayed all coercive actions against him. Senior counsels Mukul Rohatgi and Raghenth Basant, representing the petitioner, said the complainant, a former employee, had filed the charges after getting bail in an extortion case initiated by Gopalakrishnan. Justice Nagarathna expressed skepticism about the harassment claims. The accused alleged the woman and her husband had demanded Rs 30 crore during a hotel meeting on July 23, including an immediate Rs 10 crore transfer, with Rs 50,000 transferred from Venus account on July 28. The couple was arrested for extortion soon after. The woman denied knowledge of the Rs 50,000 transfer and alleged sexual harassment. The next hearing is on February 2.

BJP seeks central probe into alleged corruption in corporation

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday said the party has sent letters to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, demanding a detailed inquiry into what it alleges is large-scale corruption and financial irregularities in the CPM-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Chandrasekhar said the CPM, which has governed the corporation for the past 10 years, spent nearly `20,000 crore in the name of development, yet the city continues to struggle with basic civic issues. Despite spending such a massive amount, Thiruvananthapuram still suffers from unresolved waste management, sewage and drainage failures, streetlight issues, and poor road conditions. There is no doubt that corruption is the reason, he said. He added that the corporation received around Rs 1,000 crore from the Union government over the last five years, but there is little visible progress. The party has requested a comprehensive central agency investigation into these alleged irregularities. The complaint lists several concerns, including the purchase of 50 electric vehicles for waste management, alleged corruption in procuring 1,629 laptops for children in the coastal fishing community between 2018 and 2024, the spending of `2.24 crore under the pretext of addressing the stray dog issue, d suspected irregularities in the Rs 1,000-crore Smart City project. Chandrasekhar also made an open appeal to the chief minister, urging him to address the larger issues facing the state. He said the chief minister must speak openly about the development stagnation, corruption in local bodies, unemployment, price rise, and the overall financial mismanagement that is affecting ordinary citizens. This corruption carried out in the name of development cannot be allowed to continue, he said. Senior BJP leader S Suresh said the party would ensure accountability. We will ensure action against the Marxist leadership that looted the Thiruvananthapuram corporation. From V Sivankutty to Arya Rajendran, it has been a continuous chain of CPM mayors engaged in corruption in the city. We are expecting the Union government to initiate a probe into these financial irregularities, Suresh said.

Kerala police target buyers in leaked cinema CCTV footage probe

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to address the alarming situation of CCTV footage from cinemas being leaked and sold online, the Kerala cyber police are now targeting the buyers of these visuals. Visuals from the state government-owned Kairali, Nila, and Sree cinema complex of the capital city were leaked into porn channels on Telegram and X, raising widespread privacy concerns. Speaking about the issue, Cyber operations SP Ankit Asokan said that a proactive search was ongoing in the incident. These videos have mostly been leaked through private Telegram chats. We are trying to trace the people who purchased this, he said. He also added that strict instructions had been given to Kerala State Film Development corporation (KSFDC) officials to secure their CCTV data using passwords. The official said nothing more can be revealed as the investigation is under way. Mentioning that an internal enquiry is going on from the side of the KSFDC, its managing director, Priyadarshan P S, said that visuals from private cinemas had also been leaked as part of this. Currently, we only store the visuals which are a maximum of two-months-old, but the visuals which got leaked are from the year 2023 t0 2024. This could mean that the visuals were leaked much before, he said. Priyadarhsan added that they first noticed this when police officials reached out to them, stating that the videos from cinemas were leaked. He said that a complaint was filed to higher police officials on Thursday itself. Possibilities of net video recording and the CCTV data getting hacked also need to be looked into, he said. In light of the recent incident, KSFDC has issued an internal circular to the theatre operators to prevent similar incidents in future. Inside sources said that instructions included strengthening of passwords and other technical and personnel instructions.

Will ask for special team to probe suicide of BJP leaders, says Kerala minister Sivankutty

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: General Education Minister V Sivankutty has said that he will request Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to depute a special team to probe the suicide of two BJP leaders in Thiruvananthapuram. The families of councillor Thirumala Anil and Anand K Thampi are in despair and disagreement with the BJP leadership. Being their MLA, I will seek a special team to probe the deaths, the minister said in a press conference here on Saturday. Alleging that Anils family members had handed over complaints regarding this to BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, he said that no action was taken on this. Sivankutty also said that the new corruption allegations, which surfaced days before the election, are the BJP leaders excuse to turn his face away from the complaints given by the family of the deceased councillor. Having received these complaints, how can Rajeev Chandrasekhar evade responsibility? he asked. Launching a scathing attack on Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Sivankutty said that the recent corruption allegations he made against the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation are coming out of fear of failure. BJP will fail in half of the sitting seats in the corporation. LDF will secure a win in 75 seats, he said. The minister, who mentioned that the BJP leader is making baseless allegations against the corporation, also criticised that the BJP state chief is clueless about the basic details of these schemes.

AI Christian Housewife turns up heat on Congress, LDF ahead of polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the first phase of local body elections only days away, Sangh Parivar strategists have launched an AI-driven outreach campaign targeting Christian voters. The initial phase of polling, scheduled for December 9, will cover seven districts with substantial Christian populations such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Alappuzha and Ernakulam. The AI-generated campaign video circulated discreetly, accuses the Congress of neglecting the Christian community and the LDF of appeasement politics. Though the video did not claim any authorship, apparently to avoid any potential election code violation, it elaborates on why sections of the Christian community are beginning to view the BJP more favourably. In the video, an AI-generated Christian housewife alleges that following the deaths of senior leaders K Karunakaran and Oommen Chandy, and K M Mani along with the withdrawal of A K Antony from active politics, the community has become orphaned. The video claims that the declining Christian population, youth migration and the vacant homes have deepened the communitys insecurity. The Congress is even objecting to EWS (Economically weaker section) reservation for Christians. Congress did not raise a finger when a Bishop was manhandled, it said. It further questions Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan for what it describes as his justification of Jamaat-e-Islami, while highlighting issues such as the Munambam waqf land dispute and the hijab row at a school run by a Christian management. It asserts that BJP alone stood by the community in these matters. In Kerala, the RSS is also said to be playing a key role through long-term social engineering aimed at fostering closer ties with Christian community. A senior leader told TNIE on condition of anonymity that the RSS has been holding discussions with Church representatives for over three years. The church and RSS have decided not to publicise these dialogues. This is an extension of the engagement that began when K S Sudarshan was the Sarsanghchalak. The current Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, declared in Bengaluru in November first week that the RSS would initiate dialogues to end divisions in society. Discussions are under way with all sections, including Pentecostal groups, he said. According to him, while RSS was represented in these talks by its official functionaries, the Church participated through trusted community leaders to avoid political controversy. We have now asked our cadres to actively reach out to the Christian community. In turn, the Church is encouraging its laity to reassess its perception about RSS, he added. A senior BJP office-bearer said, through the references in the video, the party is positioning itself as the only credible alternative for Christian voters. In Thiruvananthapuram we are close to seizing power, he said. In Kollam and Alappuzha districts, we will have good advancement in Karunagappally and Kayamkulam respectively. The outreach programme and the confidence we have built with the Churches are expected to reflect in Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam as well. The BJP has fielded the maximum number of Christian candidates in the local body polls outperforming the Congress and Kerala Congress parties. However, various churches denied while some declined to speak about the dialogue between them and RSS.

Political parties demand further extension of SIR time-frame in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Terming the Election Commission of Indias extended time-frame for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state as inadequate, major political parties, except the BJP, have demanded further extension of the enumeration deadline at least till the end of December. The political parties made the demand at a meeting convened by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)-Kerala Rathan U Kelkar here on Saturday. Representatives of the CPM, Congress and IUML expressed concern over the 20.75 lakh voters whose enumeration forms have yet not been collected. M Vijayakumar of the CPM expressed doubts over the exact number of voters who have been left out. While CPIs Sathyan Mokeri questioned the undue haste on the part of the ECI, M K Rahman of the Congress cautioned that at least 34 lakh voters will be expelled from the draft electoral roll. IUMLs Mohammed Shah pointed out that the time-frame from December 23 to February 4 during which Electoral Registration Officers will conduct hearings on complaints of voters would not be sufficient to complete the exercise. BJPs J R Padmakumar demanded that proper hearing should be conducted before any voters are excluded from the electoral roll.

Crime branch probes claims linking Dileep to Pulsar Suni, threats to investigators

KOCHI: On November 25, 2021, while the trial in the case was progressing, fresh trouble surfaced for the eighth accused, actor Dileep. Filmmaker P Balachandra Kumar levelled grave allegations, claiming that Dileep possessed a copy of the visuals of the assault captured by prime accused Pulsar Suni. He also alleged a close relationship between the two and accused Dileep of conspiring to endanger the lives of investigating officers. The revelations led the Crime Branch to register a fresh case against Dileep and others. In a petition submitted to the chief minister, Kumar said he visited Dileep at his Padmasarovaram residence in Aluva on December 26, 2016, to discuss a movie. On that day, he happened to travel with Suni, who was at the house along with Anoop, Dileeps brother, in a red Maruti Swift car. Anoop introduced Suni to him during the trip. From Anoops words, I understood that the young man had a lot of money with him and was taking it somewhere, Kumar stated. He also referred to a deliberation he had with Dileep on Suni, when the actor allegedly revealed certain details about the sexual assault. They met again on April 15, 2017, in Thiruvananthapuram as part of talks over the movie Professor Dinkan. When Kumar brought up Suni, Dileep reportedly responded saying that nothing happened, before going on to describe the abuse in detail, as though he had witnessed it firsthand. Dileep also instructed the director not to disclose the fact that Suni had visited his residence. In his plea, Balachandrakumar said that on September 12, Anoop, over a WhatsApp call, relayed the desire of Dileep, who was then in jail, to meet him. He met Dileep at Aluva sub jail the next day. Emerging from the meeting, he found Dileeps brother and brother-in-law waiting outside, and the latter handed him `50,000. According to Kumar, Anoop messaged him again, on October 6, to convey Dileeps intention to hold another meeting. The two met at a house in North Paravoor, and spent the entire day together. Dileep repeated the warning not to disclose that Suni had been to his house. The petitioner further stated that he visited Dileep on the morning of November 15 for discussions on a film. During their conversation, Dileeps friend Baiju arrived and the conversation veered toward the clips. Growing suspicious, Kumar recorded parts of the exchange, claiming that the recording pertained to offences in this case. He also recorded a phone conversation between Dileep and Anoop where they talked about how a witness had been influenced and that `5 lakh had been spent for this purpose. Dileep allegedly said that he could have easily coughed up `1.5 crore. Hearing this, his brother-in-law Suraj remarked that Suni could have collected the money from any place of his choice. Another friend of Dileep arrived and discussed the investigation and a plot to attack Suni and his gang on their release from jail. The filmmaker said that on the same day, a person who had come to meet Dileep entered the room with a tablet. Dileep, Suraj, Anoop, and another man named Appu watched a video, and Dileep invited Balachandrakumar to view it, saying it showed the cruel deeds of Pulsar Suni. In his petition to the CM, Kumar expressed the fear that Dileep or his associates may kill him, and that the actors manager had urged him not to reveal anything for his own safety. He produced a pen drive containing 24 voice clips to substantiate his allegations. Based on his revelations, the ADGP (crimes) of the crime branch headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram registered a case on January 9, 2022. The crime branch found that within days of Kumars disclosure, Dileep and others had discontinued using their mobile phones, concealed them and begun using new ones. Dileep deliberately withheld a phone he had used for 221 days, during which time he had made 2,075 calls, claiming it was not in his possession. Investigators identified 81 points from Kumars statements and collected evidence connecting them. Dileep and five others were booked under sections 116 (abetment), 118 (concealing design to commit offence), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Following the revelations, the survivor approached the High Court, submitting that further investigation was necessary to arrive at the truth. (to be concluded)

Kerala HC restrains police from arresting Rahul Mamkootathil

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Saturday restrained the police from arresting Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, until December 15 in a case registered against him for allegedly raping a woman and forcing her to terminate her pregnancy. When the anticipatory bail plea came up for hearing, Justice K Babu said the matter would be posted for a detailed hearing. During the pendency of the case, I will not permit the police to arrest the petitioner because he has raised serious contentions, the court observed. No man shall be condemned unless heard. When a matter is pending before a constitutional court, he will not be arrested. The petitioners case is that it was a consensual relationship. And admittedly, there is a consensual relationship, Justice Babu added. Though T A Shaji, Director General of Prosecution opposed the order, the court declined to accept it and posted the hearing of the case to December 15. The petitioner argued that political motives are influencing the case, particularly with elections approaching.

Court to hear Rahul Mamkootathils bail plea in second case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Additional District and Sessions Court on Saturday admitted the anticipatory bail plea of Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, in a second rape case registered against him, but refused to grant him interim protection from arrest till the bail plea is heard on Monday. Rahuls counsel swiftly moved the pre-arrest bail after the High Court granted him protection from arrest in the first rape case till a verdict is given on his anticipatory bail plea, which is scheduled to be heard on December 15. Rahuls counsel argued that the allegation was politically motivated and there was no mention of the complainants name, and place and time of occurrence of the alleged crime in the complaint. The petition was moved within an hour after the High Court gave Rahul protection from arrest. His lawyer highlighted the High Court order and sought a favourable verdict. The anticipatory bail plea was moved in the second case after the police appointed a special team to probe the case. The department had appointed AIG G Poonkuzhali to lead the team that will investigate the complaint filed by a 23-year-old woman, who is a resident of Bengaluru. Poonkuzhali, who is now attached with the police headquarters, will directly monitor the probe, while the investigation will be headed by a crime branch DySP. The team also comprises an inspector, two sub-inspectors and women officers. Police sources said they have got in touch with the victim, who agreed to cooperate with the investigation. She has been told to communicate a convenient time and place to get her statements recorded, sources added.

INTERVIEW|Our language is male-centric, and that needs to be corrected

K R Meera, one of the most powerful literary voices of our times, continues to probe the politics of gender and power through her writings. Known for landmark works like Aarachaar, she now returns with Kalachi, a novel exploring patriarchy, discrimination, and individuality. In an interaction with TNIE , she talks about her writing process and the inseparability of politics from a writers life. Edited excerpts You were one of the early women journalists in Malayalam. How did that journey begin? I wanted to become a writer. When I was around 17, I felt I didnt have the talent to become one. Because there were many prominent writers then, and I wondered what space I would have among them. Reportage by Anita Pratap and Chitra Subramaniam had inspired me. I wanted to try something new, and journalism felt right for me. Immediately after my course, I got selected to Manorama. Could you recall those days? The journalism field has the most narcissistic men. When I went there, the general perspective was: Why are girls here? Except for a few, such as Mammen Mathew, Jose Panchippuram and Thomas Jacob. When I think about it now, the presence of a woman made some of them uncomfortable. I used to leave the office at 9.30pm, and they would feel relieved. There were also practical difficulties, like finding a place to stay. However, it was a good experience. Once we start working, its men first always. It took time for me to claim my space. Have newsrooms changed now? Have they? For things to truly change, the mindset of the men who make key decisions has to change. If it has changed, thats good. In writing also, men were more prominent. Except the likes of Madhavikutty Sarah Joseph, Gracy teacher and Chandramathi teacher Why do we forget them? The problem is that when we are asked to list the ten best writers, we include nine men and add one woman just for the sake of inclusion. Your first story came out in 2000. It has now been 25 years of writing. How do you see your writing career at this point? For me, the process of writing is about discovering new ideas and finding the right language to express them. I dont think writing is a marathon where you must achieve something within a set time. It is not a competition where you climb to the top and break an earthen pot, like in uriyadi. Writing, for me, is an organic journey there is no final destination, no fixed goal. You took the risk of quitting a secure job to focus entirely on writing. How did you find the courage to do that? It wasnt a planned decision. You could say it came from my demanding, ego-driven and somewhat adamant nature. I was quite certain that I wouldnt go hungry. I knew I could earn through writing. Whether in journalism or literature, it has traditionally been a mans world No, I dont see it that way. I always feel that whatever a man has written was first told to him by a talented woman (laughs). There is often pressure on women to prove themselves. Have you ever felt that pressure? Yes I have always felt that I must be the best at whatever I do whether it is writing or anything else. I was conditioned that way from childhood, and I cannot escape it. Every day, I feel the pressure to prove myself to my peers through my talent and hard work. Who are your readers? Do you think from the perspective of a reader when you write? No we dont know who the reader is. When writing an article, we may have some sense, but in fiction, we cannot know. Every time, we only hope that new readers will be drawn in. I wish, whoever the readers are, they become better human beings, with a deeper understanding. But it cannot always be achieved. Now that you are a pan-Indian writer, is there any pressure to write on subjects that appeal to readers across India? No, no pressure at all. We cannot write like that. I cannot decide that I will write a pan-Indian novel. I wish to write something that no other writer has attempted or approached before. I never intend my novels to be set outside Kerala, but when I look for the situations that a story demands, sometimes they naturally lead me outside the state. Has journalism influenced your stories or the process of writing? Journalism influences my life itself. I am eternally haunted by the spirit of a murdered journalist inside me (laughs). It makes me want to wander and travel all the time. Could you tell us about your process of research and writing? Sometimes I feel there is someone else writing it for me in my head. And there is a certain magic that happens when I sit in front of the wide screen. I remember many things I thought I had forgotten, and even things I didnt know I knew. That is the joy of writing finding these things and the coincidences along the way. You once remarked you were a woman who writes, not a woman writer. How do you differentiate? My issue is with the word writer. In Malayalam, it translates into a term that inherently means a man who writes. Similarly, reader translates to a man who reads. Everything is gendered that way. Our language is male-centric, and that needs to be corrected. Isnt the experience of writing different for men and women? Dont these terms also reflect those different experiences? And should that be seen as a problem? Sometimes I think yes it is time we acknowledge this issue. A man can often write without worrying about the responsibilities of his children. This is changing now, but only if we recognise the inequality can we fix it. For equality to exist, we must also find a language that is equally efficient. Theres a politics that urges us to speak about unconventional lives, to dismantle patriarchy and we do speak about it. But unless such ideas enter everyday language, we will remain stuck in the mundane. Today, many men also take responsibility for their children. When you talk about a mens commission, these aspects should also be addressed. Some activists have been demanding a mens commission Individuals do not affect me. As a writer, all I can do is talk about the larger politics. Is a mens commission needed? Yes, it is necessary. Men must be educated about societal changes and trained to embrace them especially the changing dynamics of family life. A commission can help with that. But the current demand is for a commission to protect men from harassment... Thats because they dont understand the difference between harassment and the loss of privileges they once enjoyed. Those who demand a mens commission believe that men face more harassment today. For them, the loss of privileges amounts to harassment. What can we do except educate them? We must tell them: This is not harassment. These were privileges you enjoyed till now privileges created by earlier generations and used to suppress another section of people who also had equal rights. You must let go of them. Women characters in your works are complex and powerful, with the quality of reclaiming power Are they powerful? That is not power. As Simone de Beauvoir said, feminism is not about snatching power from men, but about dismantling the very idea of power. My characters do exactly that. They do not compete for power. Instead, they explore how beautiful the world could be if the notion of power itself disappeared if toxic masculinity disappeared. Does religion play a major role in this? Yes. Where does religion come from? It comes from the family. Religion always attacks from within. I have written about this in Kalachi. Is that why some say the family is a fascist unit? Yes. I believe family is the smallest unit of fascism. The first lessons of oppression and suppression are taught by the family. A family in its current form does more harm than good. How should an ideal family be? An ideal family is one where everyone gets the opportunity to grow, and no one suffers any form of violence verbal, physical, emotional, or spiritual. Todays family structure is built on strict distribution of power. Naturally, people carry the same structure into society because it is familiar and convenient. Have you ever felt marriage is a kind of restriction? (Smiles) Signing any paper is restrictive. I was speaking about the institution of marriage. I do not agree with the current model of marriage. Is gender a mere social construct, or is there a biological element? You shouldnt ask such a complex question to a mere writer like me (smiles). How much has writing helped you towards liberation? Writing has been my only real path to liberation. Everywhere you go, the life of a poor woman is full of restrictions. Is a womans life really that difficult? As long as the BJP rules at the Centre, I would prefer to be a man. Right-wing ideology still treats women as second-class citizens. Is it right for writers to support political parties? You were seen campaigning during the Nilambur by-election. Arent writers political beings? Is any work truly apolitical? Writing is also a livelihood. I dont care whether Congress or RSS supporters read my books. All writers are activists in some way. Every story is an attempt to fill water into broken pots. Is motherhood an outdated concept? I cannot say that. The problem arises when motherhood is imposed through fear or pressure. The real issue is that society views a woman only as a field for producing heirs. How was it in your experience? I was never someone who longed for motherhood. As a child, I always doubted whether I could be a good mother. I am absent-minded. When I finally became a mother, I saw it with a certain detachment. Had I not become a mother, I might have believed a child had been saved from me. I was terrified during pregnancy because I carried a life inside me, because I was responsible for its safety, and because I doubted my own strength to handle it. I lived with the constant fear that my mistakes might harm my child. Motherhood is a big lie. It is glorified. It is the sum of mechanisms created by every society to confine a womans entire life to one function reproduction. Isnt it mostly women themselves who celebrate motherhood? For whom is this celebration? It is a way of putting all the blame on women. Society is built by men. Women exist within households run by members of that society. They carry out mens beliefs, desires, and decisions. Women today are not treated as full social beings. Are you a man-hater? I want to see everyone simply as human. Many men have a problem with confident, strong women It is not about strength. Men are not interested in women who do not obey, respect, or acknowledge men as superior. It is a mindset. If you read Ghathakan, you will see that I say masculinity is not related to men it is related to power and mindset. It is the resistance to sharing power that leads to unhealthy and negative behaviour, whether from men, women, or transgender persons. So, are you saying it is not about gender? The problem with patriarchy is that it creates divisions higher women, lower women, higher men, lower men and then caste and religion get woven into it. It becomes a complicated structure. There is a notion that women writers here have a Madhavikutty hangover. But your style was different was that a conscious decision? I start writing only when I have a story that hasnt been told before. Yes, I was conscious of that. I have no interest in repeating what others have already written. What do you feel after finishing a book? I become restless. I start thinking: I shouldnt have written this. This isnt what I intended. Is it good enough? I cannot assess it objectively. But once it is published, I feel relaxed. Is writing an act of self-expression or rebellion for you? Both. There is expression, and there is rebellion something that may not always be possible in reality. Any contemporary authors who excite you? Harish is a good writer. Rajasree, Soniya, Athira, Mini, and many others. There are many; I may have missed some names. Do you plan to write in English? No. Malayalam is my strength. I already handle two languages Malayalam and the English used in translation contexts. How is your writing process? I prefer to see the sky, walk around, and observe. I need to go outside to write. Editing can be done at home. Qabar and Ghathakan were written at home, but distractions are constant. Though you dont have homemaker responsibilities? The problem is that everyone at home feels entitled to a womans time. A womans life is never fully her own no matter who it is, even if shes the prime minister. Your writing often shows layers realism, grounded tones, surreal elements. How did your style develop? Were you inspired by any writers? Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of my pole stars. I have always carried a sense of dissatisfaction with the world around me, and that naturally pushes me toward imagining another kind of life. Maybe thats why surreal or magical elements slip into my writing. Honestly, I think the problem might be with me (laughs). Theres a growing discussion that young people are moving away from reading. Whats your take? I have been hearing this since my own childhood. Every generation says the same thing. At any point in history, people who love reading will read, and those who dont simply wont. Does something called serious reading still exist today? Did it ever really exist (laughs)? Ideas like greatest literature, deep reading, or serious reading feel outdated now. Often, the people who preach deep reading lead shallow lives. Do you believe that a woman understands another woman better? No. An individual understands another individual. Thats the truth. We need to remove the labels of man and woman and see each other as people only then can we truly understand one another. Theres a belief that the best female characters are written by men. Do you agree? These are just generational beliefs. Theres no truth in them. People might feel that way about writers like Uroob. But I am not ready to agree with it (laughs). Because there is a myopic male perspective in all those writings. They write the kind of women they want to see, based on their own limited experiences. How can you understand an elephant by only looking at its trunk or tail? And when it comes to men has any writer truly depicted a complete man? Men dont fully reveal themselves to anyone. When we write, we write about experience, joy, lack of privilege, and so on. There are women who live life on their own terms, but even then, people ask whether that is the life they truly wanted. But do we ever ask men these questions? Men have social privilege, women dont. Inequality begins right there. Is that why, in a conversation, you said all good writings were feminist writings? Yes, of course. Anyone who believes in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution is a feminist. The values in the Preamble are essentially the basics of feminism. Its that simple. If you believe in that, you are, by default, a feminist. How important is political correctness in life and in the creative world? Political correctness is nothing but the correctness of humanity. The correctness shifts with time. Once we say something is anti-human, we must progress towards betterment, not drag it back to where it once was. I try to be careful. I also care about correcting mistakes made unknowingly. How do you feel after completing 25 years as a full-time writer? Surprise (smiles) that I swam in this sea, in this vast world. Whats your take on Kerala society do you believe there is progress? After this Left government took over, I have felt they have tried to take feminist ideas to the people. That makes me happy. It reaches young boys and girls. There is a group of people who want to live simply as humans. Changes that we see in cinema, too, are wonderful. Kerala will change. Are you unhappy that you are a writer? Being a writer is not an unhappy thing. I like writing. I am happy writing. But I dont like many things that come with it. Do you miss journalism? Always. I used to think I could have changed things (laughs). Hunting for stories and writing reports energise you. Fiction drains you. TNIE team: Kiran Prakash, Cithara Paul, Rajesh Abraham, Anil S, Rajesh Ravi, Anna Jose, Manisha V C S, Harikrishna B A Sanesh (photos) Pranav V P (video)

INTERVIEW| With the LDF, we have achieved a lot more for Christians

KOTTAYAM: KC(M) is LDFs trump card in central Travancore and the Christian belts across the state. In an interview to TNIE , party chairman Jose K Mani says he is confident that they can play a major role in maintaining the fronts hegemony in the local-body polls. Edited excerpts: This is KC(M)s second LSG poll as part of LDF. Are you satisfied with seat distribution? The previous local-body elections took place shortly after KC(M) joined the left front, which limited the scope for detailed discussions on seat sharing. This time, the party was able to engage in comprehensive talks, allowing for seat adjustments based on the strength of each constituent. With an increase in number of wards, there was ample opportunity for negotiations, and we received our fair share. KC(M) and CPM are contesting nine seats each in Kottayam district panchayat. Despite your party being eligible for 10 seats, LDF selected an independent for the tenth seat. Does the CPM not want KC(M) to lead in Kottayam? Such arguments are unfounded. The independent candidate is a strategic move to attract a broader voter base, including neutral voters. Moreover, it is KC(M)s independent candidate, and not LDFs common candidate. What is your primary poll plank? There are a lot of things to highlight, but we focus on benefits received by each family from the welfare measures of the LDF government. These include pensions, `1,000 aid to women aged 35-60, LIFE Mission houses, treatment assistance, etc. Additionally, there is the increased honorarium for ASHA workers and Anganwadi teachers. Will the Sabarimala gold theft case affect the fronts chances? It is indeed a serious issue. However, the governments response has been decisive and transparent. The Christian community is dissatisfied with the LDF over various issues, including Munambam, recruitment of teachers in aided schools, wild-animal attacks, etc. Will this affect your prospects? We have been able to achieve a lot more for Christians with the LDF. Initiatives such as providing ration cards for nuns, implementing a 10% reservation for economically weaker sections in unreserved categories, and enacting the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill and approval for the Land Assignment Amendment Rules were realised through LDFs efforts. The community recognises and appreciates these efforts. BJP has been trying to woo Christian communities. Will this affect KC(M)? The BJPs efforts to engage with the community have been ongoing for some time. While church leaders may extend hospitality to leaders from every party, this does not indicate a shift in allegiance. Will KC(M) stake claim for more seats in the upcoming assembly election, if the party performs well in the LSG polls? KC(M) has consistently engaged with public issues, which positions the party to rightfully claim its deserved share. UDF leaders reiterate the possibility of expansion of the front. Is KC(M) considering switching alliances? It is a pleasure to know that KC(M) has been recognised across the board. However, we are satisfied with the LDF and there is no question of switching alliance. Claims by some UDF leaders on discussions with KC(M) are unfounded and appear to be attempts to sow confusion among the public, which will not succeed.

BJPs quiet gains may unsettle LDF-UDF duopoly in Tiruvalla

PATHANAMTHITTA: Amid the tug-of-war between the LDF and the UDF for control of Tiruvalla municipality, the BJP has been steadily and silently making gains in the region, turning the Pathanamthitta political landscape into one to watch. In the 2020 civic polls, the municipality ended with a fractured mandate with UDF winning 16, LDF 15, BJP 6, SDPI 1, and one seat going to an independent. The UDF managed to retain power, with Congress Bindu Jayakumar elected chairperson, but the coalition started to crumble, soon after. According to the seat-sharing arrangement, the Kerala Congress was to get to name a chairperson after the first term. However, Bindu refused to honour the pact, and KC (Joseph) member Shanthamma Varghese crossed over to the left camp, dramatically shifting the arithmetic and handing the municipality to the LDF. The LDF rule, however, lasted only eight months. Marking its return to power, the UDF elected Congress councillor Anu George as chairperson. But fresh tensions surfaced when Anu refused to hand over the chair at the end of the agreed term, triggering discontent within the front. The subsequent vice-chairmans election only deepened the crisis, with invalid votes cast by former chairpersons derailing a seemingly certain UDF victory. With the civic body yet again caught in factional turbulence, the question of stability remains unresolved. While the UDF and LDF remained locked in a cycle of allegations and counter-allegations, the BJP expanded its footprint in the municipality. In Tiruvallas Kaviyoor grama panchayat, BJP won six of the 14 seats, securing governance in the process. Moreover, apart from improving its seat count in the municipality by two, the party doubled its vote share. These results are being read by political observers as a strategic breakthrough for the party in a region with a sizeable non-resident Keralite (NRK) population and traditionally strong presence of KC groups, whose vote base is predominantly the Nair community and Syrian Christians. The BJP has been working with patience and precision in the panchayats around Tiruvalla municipality. Recent issues, especially the Sabarimala gold theft case, will have a direct impact on elections and the CPM will pay the price. The Congress, which is already battling the Rahul Mamkootathil issue, has lost its moral standing. People are now more aware of development-related concerns and are choosing to support the party, BJP district president V A Sooraj said. The partys steady gains in adjoining local bodies are being viewed as the most significant political takeaway in Pathanamthitta since the last local polls. The numbers may not yet place the saffron party in a position to take the municipality on its own. But the shift is hard to ignore. If the present trend continues, analysts warn that the next election in Tiruvalla may no longer be a straight LDF-UDF contest.

Kerala CM holds NHAI accountable for NH 66 cave-in; contractor suspended for one month

THRISSUR/KOLLAM : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to take full responsibility for the incident in which a section of the under-construction NH 66 stretch caved in near Kottiyam in Kollam. Stating that the Kerala government and public works department (PWD) has no role in NH construction, Pinarayi said: The work on NH 66 is fully monitored by NHAI. They have their own system for it. The portion of the road that was destroyed should be reconstructed properly, he said at the Meet-the-Press programme at the Thrissur Press Club. He said the state government and PWD were helpless in the matter, other than seeking NHAIs intervention. Meanwhile, the Union government has taken strict action against the contracting company Sivalaya Constructions responsible for NH development on Kollam-Mylakkad stretch. NHAI sources said, the firm has been barred for one month from participating in any contracting processes. A show-cause notice has been issued, asking why the company should not be permanently blacklisted for the lapse, said a source. The project manager and resident engineer appointed by the contractor have been removed from their positions. Speaking in Thrissur, Pinarayi said: Usually, when a road is being constructed, NHAI is in charge of everything right from design. We cannot interfere in such aspects. Central PWD to conduct inspection at damaged stretch Around four days ago, I spoke to the NHAI regional director. We cannot interfere in their procedures, but we sought to know when the construction work would be completed. Meetings are held for understanding the progress of the work, Pinarayi said. Asked about the technical aspects of whether the NH 66 construction is being carried out in keeping with the terrain, the CM said it was NHAI that carried out the technical tests before construction work. Just because a portion of the road was destroyed, we should not ignore the fact that the work on the remaining stretches has been continuing without any issues, he added. Meanwhile, a team from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) will conduct an inspection at the damaged stretch. Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas had written to the Union Government seeking urgent action. CPWD officials will inspect the site to determine whether there were faults in the retaining walls design, an NHAI source said. In addition, a three-member NHAI team is also expected to carry out a separate inspection on Sunday.

Local body polls too complex to be a referendum on LDF government in Kerala

An analysis of the previous three-tier local body elections reveals that regional issues and candidates outweigh State-level political dynamics, particularly in the grama panchayats and block panchayats. State politics, however, is reflected in the district panchayat divisions, municipalities, and Corporations

Police objects to transferring Kodakara heist case to PMLA court

The case, involving a 3.5 crore robbery on April 3, 2021 allegedly for funding a poll campaign, has resulted in 23 arrests and recoveries exceeding 1.5 crore.

Honey Rose: I want to prove myself as an actor with Rachel

Honey Rose hopes that with Rachel she will be perceived differently as an actor

ED trying to sabotage Kodakara hawala case: CPI

K.G. Shivanandan alleges the ED derailed the probe, ignored key witnesses, and acted as a political tool of the BJP

NH collapse in Kollam: Centre begins steps to blacklist construction firm

An expert committee to visit the site soon, and further action will be taken based on the panels report

Baby boy found in Thiruvananthapuram Ammathottil

Plea to capture leopard

LDF will win 75 seats in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation: Sivankutty

Says BJP will lose more than half its sitting seats; terms allegations by BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar political bankruptcy

Tourism sector faces massive cancellations as IndiGo crisis deepens

Disruption of flights across the country has cast a pall of gloom over the tourism industry, which was getting ready for the Christmas and New Year season, with massive cancellations

Supreme Court suggests mediation in sexual harassment case involving Kerala tech CEO

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday suggested that the parties involved in a sexual harassment case against Venu Gopalakrishnan, CEO of a Kochi-based IT firm, attempt mediation to settle their differences. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan referred the matter to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre and directed both sides to appear before it on January 7, 2026. We have heard learned senior counsel for the petitioner, learned counsel for the respondentState as well as the learned counsel for the complainant. Having regard to the facts of this case, we find that in the interest of all parties, there ought to be a settlement. Hence, we adjourn this matter. In order to explore the possibility of a settlement between the parties, the matter is referred to the Supreme Court Mediation Centre. The parties are directed to appear before the Centre on 07.01.2026 either in person or through videoconferencing at 11.30 am, the bench said. Fixing the case for its next hearing on February 2, 2026, the bench also directed that the mediators report be placed on record. Earlier, on September 11, the Kerala High Court had refused anticipatory bail to Gopalakrishnan, CEO of Litmus 7 Systems Consulting Private Limited, observing that the offences alleged against him are very serious and that, given his alleged influence, there was a risk of his influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence. The High Court, however, granted pre-arrest bail to the other accused, Jacob P Thampy, Eby Paul and Bimalraj Haridas. Gopalakrishnan then approached the Supreme Court, which on September 26 directed that no coercive steps be taken against him in the interim. On Friday, Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Raghenth Basant, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the woman, a former employee, filed the case against Gopalakrishnan and three others after obtaining bail in an extortion complaint he had lodged. After hearing the parties, Justice Nagarathna voiced doubts regarding the sexual harassment allegations, and the court advised both sides to pursue mediation. According to the accused, the woman contacted three company staff members on July 23 and asked them to meet her at a Kochi hotel, where she and her husband allegedly demanded Rs 30 crore to settle the matter. They allegedly sought written assurances and asked him to transfer Rs 10 crore immediately, along with two cheques for the balance. On July 28, Rs 50,000 was transferred from Venus account to her account, and the next day the couple was arrested on extortion charges and remanded to judicial custody. Contradicting this, the woman said that she and her husband were preparing to file a complaint against the CEO when three company representatives arrived for mediation. She alleged that they told her Venu was willing to apologise, and asked the couple to meet at a hotel on July 29, where they were then arrested. She further alleged that Venu transferred Rs 50,000 to her account without her knowledge and detailed several alleged incidents of sexual harassment in her complaint.

New-found role of CCTV cameras this election season

Congress terms CMs claims on Kochi Corporation far from reality

The Chief Minister is trying to whitewash the LDF, which had failed to address basic infrastructure issues in the city during its five years of governing the Kochi Corporation, says Ernakulam DCC chief

Forest beat officer killed in elephant attack during tiger census

Malappuram DLSA ranked number one in State

Kerala SIR: Over 20 lakh enumeration forms on uncollectables list

Expert team to probe NH collapse in Kollam

Sole responsibility of NH collapse on NHAI and construction agency, says Finance Minister, while visiting the accident site

LDF riding a strong wave, will improve on 2020 results: Binoy Viswam

Congress forming unholy alliance with communal-fascist forces, says CPI leader

Will not support CPI(M) in local body polls: Rajendran

Collector says district is poll-ready, urges all voters to exercise franchise

Of the 7,347 candidates in the fray, 3,917 are women and 3,457 are men

Kozhikode Corporation entrenched in corruption, alleges NDA

Chander Kunj apartment resident moves contempt petition against Collector

The petitioner says the Collector failed to follow the directions in the judgment and evacuate the apartment, forcing him to live in an unsafe building under constant threat to life

Youth attempts self-immolation by setting fire to gas cylinder on parked truck

Defaming complainant in sexual abuse case: court rejects bail plea of Rahul Easwar

The police team investigating the case has decided to question the YouTuber in custody

Sabu Jacob accuses LDF, UDF of targeting Twenty20 ahead of polls

The national parties, including the Congress and the CPI(M), are fully invested in resisting the decade-old Twenty20, claims the party chief

Calicut varsity senate to meet again on December 18 to pick nominee for V-C search panel

UDF manifesto gives thrust to FIFA-standard stadium, metro revival, and tech hub

Kerala local body polls 2025: For these candidates, work cant wait

From snake catching to newspaper distribution, candidates in the local body election do a wide range of jobs. Many eke out time from their already tight schedule to meet the public, ask for votes

Kannurs electoral battlefield: fronts weigh gains and losses as rebel surge reshapes equations

LDF holds structural dominance across the district. Capturing Kannur Corporation remains its symbolic objective, while defending it remains the foremost challenge of UDF that is looking forward to improve its show in three-tier panchayats

Direct CM to reply to Assembly question on cases in connection with Sabarimala women entry, Congress urges Speaker

Seminar on media and culture held at Farook College

Other fronts stay hopeful in this one-time Congress bastion

In 2020, with the support of the KC(M), the LDF won several seats and came to power in the Idukki district panchayat, though the UDF had the last laugh later. The UDF is at the helm in two municipalities. The BJP is focussing on tribal panchayats such as Edamalakkudy

After brief lull, rush once again intensifies at Sabarimala

Hill shrine and its premises have been under tight security over the past few days in connection with the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition

Kerala women will speak through the ballot, says Jebi Mather

Mahila Congress State president says the government could not check crime against women in the State or ensure the safety of students on campuses

Parties term extension of SIR schedule insufficient

Never had links with Jamaat-e-Islami, did not seek their votes: Kerala CM

Thrissur: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday claimed that neither the CPI(M) nor the LDF has ever had any association with the Jamaat-e-Islami, rejecting opposition UDF allegations that the Left party and the Muslim outfit were political partners for decades. Vijayan said that the Left Front never had the misfortune of seeking votes from Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Campaigning on a horse

Kerala local body polls 2025: State Election Commission launches action on pamphlets highlighting Sabarimala issue

Action on complaint by CPI(M) State secretary

Court to hear Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil's pre-arrest plea in second rape case on December 8

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The additional district and sessions court on Saturday accepted the anticipatory bail plea of Rahul Mamkootathil MLA in a second rape case registered against him. However, it refused to grant him interim protection from arrest till the bail plea is heard on Monday. Rahuls counsel swiftly moved the pre-arrest bail after the High Court granted him protection from arrest in the first rape case till a verdict is given on his anticipatory bail plea, which is scheduled to be heard on December 15. Rahuls counsel argued that the allegation was politically motivated and there was no mention of the complainants name, place and time of occurrence of the alleged crime in the complaint. The petition was moved within an hour after the High Court gave Rahul protection from arrest. His lawyer highlighted the High Court order and sought a favourable verdict. The anticipatory bail plea was moved in the second case after the police appointed a special team to probe the case. The department had appointed AIG G Poonkuzhali to lead the team that would investigate the complaint filed by a 23-year-old woman, who is a resident of Bengaluru. Poonkuzhali, who is now attached to the police headquarters, will directly monitor the probe, while the investigation will be headed by a crime branch DySP. The team also comprises an inspector, two sub-inspectors and women officers. Police sources said they have got in touch with the victim, who agreed to cooperate with the investigation. She has been told to communicate a convenient time and place to get her statements recorded, sources added.

Sanju Samson sends a strong message to Gambhir ahead of South Africa T20Is

Sanju Samson's unbeaten 73 anchored Kerala's low score against Andhra Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. This captain's knock, his second fifty this season, highlights his consistent domestic form amidst ongoing questions about his role in India's T20 setup. With competition for wicketkeeping spots, Samson's future in the playing XI remains uncertain.

LDF accuses unholy UDF-BJP nexus in at least four divisions in Kochi Corporation

BJP has allotted seats to BDJS to help the UDF, alleges former Mayor M. Anilkumar

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says HC staying Rahul Mamkootathils arrest is a routine judicial process

Congress sheltered him, knows his whereabouts; police not at fault, says Chief Minister

Kerala Local Body Polls: Campaigning to conclude tomorrow

The public campaigning for the first phase of Keralas local body elections will end at 6 pm on Sunday.Kerala State Election Commission has cautioned political parties to ensure that their final campaign activities remain peaceful and do not create ...

Man held for rape, assault of elderly woman in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping and assaulting an 85-year-old woman and abandoning her on the roadside in this district, police said on Saturday. The incident took place under Venjaramoodu police station limit on Wednesday evening. Agin, a lottery agent, was apprehended on Friday, they said. According to police, the elderly Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

20-Year-Old Man Held For Rape, Assault Of 85-Year-Old Woman In Kerala

A 20-year-old man was arrested for raping and assaulting an 85-year-old woman in Thiruvananthapuram. The victim was also brutally beaten with a stick.

Kerala High Court Stays Arrest Of Rape-Accused MLA Rahul Mamkootathil

The Kerala High Court on Saturday gave interim protection from arrest to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a case of rape and forced abortion against him.

HC gives interim protection from arrest to Rahul Mamkootathil in rape case

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Saturday gave interim protection from arrest to expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in a case of rape and forced abortion against him. Justice K Babu said the court will hear Mamkootathils anticipatory bail plea on December 15 and till then he should not be arrested. Also ReadRemarks against Army: Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Kerala High Court stays arrest of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in rape case

The bench of Justice K Babu considered the MLA's anticipatory bail plea and directed that detailed arguments would be heard. The matter is scheduled to be taken up again on December 15.

Kerala HC Blocks Arrest Of Expelled MLA Rahul Mamkootathil In Rape Case

Kerala High Court shields expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from arrest in a rape case until December 15, as police probe two other cases.

IFFK 2025: Nishanth Kalidindis Theatre explores the fragile world of Indianostrum and indie cinema

After its IFFR Rotterdam premiere, Nishanth Kalidindis Theatre, inspired by Puducherrys Indianostrum experimental troupe, comes to Kerala

Kerala High Court grants interim relief, halts arrest of former Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in rape case

The Kerala High Court has granted temporary protection from arrest to MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing serious allegations of rape and has been recently expelled from the Congress. Justice K. Babu issued an interim order preventing the police from taking Mamkootathil into custody until the matter is examined further by the court. This relief [] The post Kerala High Court grants interim relief, halts arrest of former Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in rape case appeared first on India Legal .

Kerala HC gives interim protection from arrest to MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in rape case

Justice K. Babu says court will hear Mamkootathil's anticipatory bail plea on December 15 and till then he should not be arrested

Kerala HC restrains police from arresting rape-accused MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil till December 15

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Saturday restrained the police from arresting Rahul Mamkoottathil, MLA, until December 15 in a case registered against him for allegedly raping a woman and forcing her to terminate her pregnancy. When the anticipatory bail plea came up for hearing, Justice K. Babu said the matter would be posted foradetailed hearing. During the pendency of the case, I will not permit the police to arrest the petitioner because he has raised serious contentions, the court observed. No man shall be condemned unless proven guilty. When a matter is pending before a constitutional court, he will not be arrested. The petitioners case is that it was a consensual relationship. And admittedly, there is a consensual relationship. I am not in any way prejudiced. I have made sure that he shall not be arrested, considering his contentions, Justice K. Babu added. According to the petition, the complainantwho claimed to be separated from her husbanddeveloped an intimate relationship with the petitioner. They regularly communicated, met on several occasions, and grew closer over time. The complainant told the petitioner that she had takenalong leave from her workplace, and upon her return, the management insisted she submit a written statement declaring that she had a relationship with the petitioner and that differences of opinion had led her to take leave. Only then would she be permitted to rejoin the firm. The petition further states that certain voice clips circulated on social media harmed the complainants privacy. It argues that the source of the leaked conversations and chats must be identified. This breach of privacy allegedly created mistrust and disputes between the two, despite their close relationship. The complainant feared that the petitioner might have leaked the chats. The petitioner also claims that political motives are influencing the case, particularly with elections approaching. The complainant was allegedly worried about media propaganda and felt compelled to deny the relationship to protect herself. The petitioner asserts that he has communication records supporting his version,but requires time to produce them, as he was being chased by the police before he could approach the court,and the investigation continued without waiting for judicial direction. According to the petition, political influence has affected the investigation, and the complaint was submitted belatedly, directly to the Chief Minister instead of through the proper channel.

Utterly ridiculous: CM Pinarayi Vijayan on ED show cause notice to him in KIIFB case

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan dismissed the ED's show-cause notice over alleged FEMA violations in the KIIFB case as utterly ridiculous, attributing it to approaching elections. He asserted that KIIFB projects adhered strictly to RBI guidelines for infrastructure development. BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticized the CM, alleging misuse of public funds and questioning foreign borrowings.

Kerala local body polls: Delimitation redraws Alappuzha districts political battleground

Beyond vote share trends lie regional issues, including growing disenchantment among paddy farmers and fears of displacement over the coastal highway project, that have the potential to change political ground

Kerala local body polls: UDF targets big win in its citadel of Malappuram,LDFeyes key gains

Kerala local body polls: Land crunch shrinksMunnarsward count after delimitation

Absence of land for house construction has resulted in families shifting to nearby panchayats, which has led in the ward numbers decreasing to 20 from 21 after delimitation

Kalamkaval Box Office Collection Day 1: Mammootty-Starrer Surpasses Actor's Previous Film Bazooka, Earns Rs 4.75 Crore

Set in Kerala during the early 2000s, Kalamkaval unfolds around a case of communal tension sparked by a misunderstanding over a girl's elopement.

Kalamkaval: Mammootty and Vinayakans Malayalam crime thriller gets off to a good start on Day 1 at the box office

Mammootty's latest crime thriller, Kalamkaval, has made a strong debut at the Kerala box office.. The film, directed by debutant Jithin K. Jose, saw impressive occupancy, particularly during evening and night shows, surpassing Mammootty's previous release, Bazooka. Read on to know how much it earned.

Kerala local body polls: LDF seeks mandate with measured confidence amid political crosswinds

Facing both achievements and controversies, the LDF approaches the local body elections seeking momentum for a third term in Kerala. While its decade-long welfare and development record anchors the campaign, internal frictions, high-profile cases, and shifting community dynamics shape a complex political terrain.

Kerala Lottery Result Today, December 6, 2025 Live: Karunya KR-733 Winning Numbers

Kerala Lottery Result Today Live Updates, 6-12-2025: Heres Guessing Numbers for Karunya KR-733 for Saturday, December 6. Check the full list of winning numbers from 3 pm.

Vietnamese films to be screened at IFFK

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vietnamese films will take the centre stage at the Country Focus section in the 30th edition of the International Film Festival Of Kerala (IFFK) scheduled to commence in the state capital from December 12. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, the festival will screen five critically acclaimed Vietnamese movies Glorious Ashes directed by Bui Thac Chuyn, The Tree House by Truong Minh Qu, Cu Li Never Cries by Pham Ngoc Lan, Dont Cry Butterfly by Duong Dieu Linh and Once Upon A Love Story by Trinh Dinh Le Minh highlighting the cultural, emotional and political aspects of the nation. The attempt is to underscore cinemas role in documenting historic resistance, cultural survival and the profound human costs of conflict. Global favourites Festival Favourite package will have globally celebrated movies including It Was Just An Accident by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, Sentimental Value by Danish-Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier, A Poet by Colombian director Simn Mesa Soto, The Mastermind by American director Kelly Reichardt, No Other Choice by South Korean director Park Chan Wook, Bugonia by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, The Secret Agent by Brazilian director Kleber Mendona Filho, If I Had Legs Id Kick You by American director Mary Bronstein, Father Mother Sister Brother by American director Jim Jarmusch, The Presidents Cake by Iraqi director Hasan Hadi, Dreams by Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud, Sirat by French-Spanish director Oliver Laxe and Young Mothers by Belgian filmmaking duo Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

Twin LDF terms helped bring changes, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan; Kochi Corporation praised

KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said the two consecutive terms of the LDF government in 2016 and 2021 helped bring major changes and achievements in Kerala. He was inaugurating the LDFs Kochi corporation election convention held on the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium premises in Kaloor on Friday. When the LDF assumed office in 2016, Kerala was in deep crisis due to years of mismanagement, Pinarayi said, adding that sectors including education and health were on the verge of collapse. We put forward proposals to create changes. People accepted them. The devastated sectors were revived. People gave us a second term as the government met their expectations, he said, citing the example of the social security pension dues in 2006 and 2016. When the LDF came to power in 2006, there were 28 months of social security pension dues. The first thing we did after coming to power was clear the pending pension dues. In 2016, it was 18 months. Thats how the UDF functioned. The LDF government, which cleared the arrears, increased the welfare pension from Rs 600 to Rs 1,600 and now to Rs 2,000, the chief minister said. The event was presided over by CPI Ernakulam district secretary N Arun. The chief minister also appreciated the Kochi corporation council for its performance in the past five years. Highlighting a few projects, he said the corporation brought about a change in the city through the initiatives.

ECI extends SIR deadline in Kerala owing to civic polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the time-frame of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala owing to the upcoming local body election. As per the revised schedule, the enumeration period has been extended till December 18 and the draft electoral roll will be brought out on December 23. The period of filing claims and objections to the draft voters list will be from December 23 to January 1. The poll panel will conduct hearing and verification on the claims and objections from December 23 to February 14 . The final publication of electoral roll will be done on February 21, the ECI informed late on Friday. On December 2, the Supreme Court had asked ECI to consider the request to extend SIR in Kerala by a week or so in view of the local body elections in the state. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)-Kerala informed ECI that SIR draft electoral roll for Kerala was slated for publication on December 16 and that at present, over 95% of the enumeration forms have been digitised. As the CEO also informed that full digitisation of the forms would be completed by December 11, the ECI decided to extend the SIR time frame for the state. On November 30, the ECI had extended the schedule of the ongoing SIR in 12 states, including Kerala, and Union Territories, by a week.

ECI extends SIR schedule by one week for Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday decided to extend by one week the SIR schedule for Kerala in view of the upcoming local body polls in the state. The local body polls will be held in the state on December 9 and 11 in two phases and the votes will be counted Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

INTERVIEW| People will decide on Pinarayi 3.0, party will take a call on me

KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday tackled questions on a wide range of issues at a meet-the-press organised by the Ernakulam Press Club. He spoke on local-body polls, KIIFB, appointment of vice chancellors, and more. Edited excerpts: Will the local body election outcome be an evaluation of the governments performance? The evaluation of my government happens every day, through peoples lives. The final evaluation will be done by voters in assembly election. There are reports John Brittas acted as a mediator for the state government on PM SHRI scheme. Congress says this shows an unholy nexus between CPM and BJP... (Laughs) All MPs from Kerala are expected to engage with the Centre to secure the states rightful share. Before this Parliament session, we held a detailed meeting of all MPs, explaining what is due to Kerala and what each of them should do to ensure those issues are taken up effectively. Unfortunately, in the last Lok Sabha, Opposition MPs from Kerala were not willing to confront the Centres discriminatory attitude. This time, we are seeing a slight but welcome change, with MPs taking a more united stand on matters concerning the state. As a CPM member of the Rajya Sabha, John Brittas has been making strong, effective interventions. He has done nothing wrong, despite attempts to portray it otherwise. We will have the assembly election soon. Can we expect a Pinarayi 3.0? That will be decided by the people. But it is for party to take a call on me. In the Sabarimala gold theft case, a CPM district committee member is in jail. Why is the party not taking action? As CM, I should not go into details because the High Court is monitoring the probe... [which] is comprehensive. As a party, we have made it clear that the guilty will not be protected. The governor has forwarded new names for VCs of KTU and the Digital University, ignoring your governments priority list. The Centre and governors in many states are taking steps to undermine federalism. The Supreme Court directed me to submit a priority list...and the governor is expected to select a person from that list. How can he violate the SC directive so openly? IAS officer B Ashok has moved the HC against appointment of K Jayakumar as TDB president. There are also reports of a rift within the board... This should not have happened a serving officer approaching the court against his own government. Jayakumar was appointed because of his expertise in matters relating to Sabarimala. Devotees have welcomed his appointment. There is no friction within the board. All members have accepted his leadership wholeheartedly. ED has faulted the deployment of proceeds from KIIFBs masala bonds. Is this political? Such actions often appear close to elections. KIIFB was created as an alternative funding mechanism, and every project has followed RBI norms. Over Rs 90,000 crore worth of projects have been taken up. There has not been a single violation... We stand firmly by KIIFBs work.

Post Rahul Mamkootathil's exit, Congress to see major realignment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Congress expelled Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, and as the aura around his mentor Shafi Parambil fades, the partys factional map is being ripped apart and redrawn. The once prominent power axis that ran the organisation, has started to crumble almost overnight, triggering realignment inside the party. Sidelined youth leaders, who had long been suppressed, have seized the moment and asserted themselves. Congress insiders say that this is only the beginning of a deeper shake up as various factions attempt to reposition themselves in the changed political landscape. Emboldened by Rahuls exit and Shafis diminishing clout, a group of youth leaders is reportedly uniting across factional lines to challenge the organisations celebrity culture. Muvattupuzha MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadans Facebook post on Friday, is seen as an indicator of this emerging realignment. In his post, Mathew urged the party to reflect on the Rahul episode, warning that artificial creation of celebrity politicians undermines organisational values. Taking a subtle dig at Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, he said, When political work is handed over to celebrities, they tend to protect individuals as part of a commercial mindset rather than safeguarding the party. It is time for internal cleansing in Congress. Several youth leaders such as T Siddique, V T Balaram, C R Mahesh, M Liju, Chandy Oommen, and Abin Varkey reportedly align with this view point. Many of them had earlier opposed the reel culture promoted by the Shafi- Rahul duo during the Nilambur by-election. These leaders now share the common sentiment of ordinary workers. They recognise that if celebrity- reel driven political culture dominates, people will abandon the Congress, said a senior leader. Meanwhile, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, though out of power for almost four years, is gaining support among leaders for his stern stand against the new power axis. MLAs such as Anvar Sadat, T J Vinod, Eldos Kunnapally, I C Balakrishnan, Sajeev Joseph share Chennithalas stance. Satheesan camp which is now reduced to a few loyalists with him such as M Vincent MLA, has also begun maneuvering to reclaim lost ground. An online article critical to both Shafi and UDF convenor Adoor Prakash for protecting Rahul is seen as an attempt to regain the influence. Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, has emerged as a unifying figure, accepted by youth leaders and the divided A and I groups. Many previously ineffectual leaders have now sought shelter under him, said a senior party leader.

2017 Kerala actor abduction case: Pulsar Sunis jail letter pulls Dileep into shadow of conspiracy

KOCHI: In the days following the horrific assault inside a moving SUV in Kochi, Malayalam film industry insiders joined hands in grief and outrage. Among them was actor Dileep, who publicly expressed solidarity and vowed to support his colleagues pursuit of justice. But within months, that atmosphere of empathy would be overshadowed by a startling turn of events. A letter smuggled out of jail, beginning with the desperate plea, I need money, now triggered a chain of revelations that would eventually place Dileep in the shadow of suspicion. Penned by N S Sunil aka Pulsar Suni, the prime accused, and passed on through fellow inmates, the letter hinted at a prior connection and agreement between the two. Each new piece of evidence tightened the noose around Dileep, leading to his arrest on July 10, 2017 a development that stunned the public and shook the film fraternity. ...ever since I got involved... it feels like my life itself has come to an end, the letter further said. On June 3, the survivor issued a statement to the police, implicating Dileep for nurturing deep enmity towards her since 2012. He had been telling everyone that it was the survivor who had ruined his marriage to Manju Warrier. According to police records, Dileep told the survivor in a threatening tone that no one who stood against him in the industry had ever succeeded. As it turned out, Dileeps letter dated May 1, 2017 to the state police chief also rebounded on him. While objecting to Dileeps bail plea, the investigation team filed a report stating that his complaint to the DGP said that his friend, actor-director Nadirshah, received a phone call from a person claiming to be the friend of Suni. This was besides a letter that had been received on his drivers WhatsApp. Both the phone call and letter sought to extort money from Dileep, by threatening to implicate him in the case if he does not pony up. The investigation revealed that Suni had managed to get hold of a mobile phone and SIM card, through accused Vishnu, who was a fellow prisoner in Kakkanad district jail, which were used to make calls to Dileeps associates. It also came to light that the SIM card was stolen from Coimbatore. And, according to the confession of accused Sanal alias Mesthiri Sanal, the phone and SIM card were recovered from his house in Pathanamthitta. The probe further said the letter was originally written by accused Vipinlal in jail and handed over to Vishnu to be passed on to Dileep. The police report objecting to the bail plea of Dileep further said that when questioned in jail, Suni confessed to having entered into a criminal conspiracy with Dileep at their meeting in room 410 of Kochis Abad Plaza Hotel in March-April of 2016. They were both in the city in connection with the rehearsal for a stage show. This was confirmed using witness statements and hotel bills. The room was booked in the name of Dileep for the period from March 26 to April 7. There was a quarrel between Dileep and the victim over the latter having informed on him to Manju. This happened during the rehearsal in the presence of other members of the movie industry, the report stated. Police records stated that Suni confessed to having hatched the plot with Dileep at various shooting locations. The investigation into his statement revealed that the two had met at the Kinattingal Tennis Club in Thrissur, CIFT Junction on Willingdon Island, Ernakulam, and Thodupuzha Santhigiri College in connection with the shooting for the film Georgettans Pooram. Dileep argued that the case against him was the result of a deep-rooted conspiracy, and that it was without any basis. (to be continued) 2017 Kerala actor abduction case: No more, no less... only the truth

Muslim organisations scrambling to meet waqf registration deadline

MALAPPURAM: As the deadline to upload waqf property records to the Centres UMEED (Unified Management for Ensuring Efficient Digitalisation) portal expires on Saturday, Muslim organisations in Kerala are grappling with what many describe as the communitys most alarming administrative crisis in decades. With thousands of mahals unable to secure or compile the century-old land deeds, pattayams, and revenue records required for registration, the fear of losing vast tracts of waqf land has escalated into a statewide panic. The Centres insistence on completing the digital transition within just six months despite chronic documentation gaps across Indias eight lakh waqf properties has triggered widespread allegations of targeted exclusion, bureaucratic insensitivity, and political motive. In Kerala, where there are around 50,000 waqf properties under 13,000 mahals, only 17,000 have been registered so far. The Kerala Waqf Board states that only 8,000 mahals have been able to complete the process. The scramble has exposed deep procedural flaws, limited access to legacy documents stored in various government departments, and growing public distrust over the consequences of missing the deadline. Muslim organisations say the primary bottleneck is documentation. Many waqf properties some dating back generations either lack formal land deeds or have records scattered across taluk offices, survey departments, and revenue archives. Mustafa Mundupara, leader of Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulamas youth front Sunni Yuvajana Sangham, warned that the challenge is far beyond what a six-month window can accommodate. Legal documents of many waqf properties throughout the country are not with the mutawallis (waqf property caretakers) of the mahal committees. Maybe they are with state governments. Availing these documents from government agencies is not easy. Six months for registration is a very small period to complete this process, Mustafa said. He added that though the Supreme Court suggested approaching the Waqf Tribunal for interim relief, it does not solve the core problem. If the documents are not uploaded to the UMEED portal, thousands of waqf properties will be lost. There is no doubt that this new system is targeting the Muslim population. It is not for the welfare of our people in any way, Mustafa said. According to him, with nearly 80% of Indias waqf properties lacking proper documentation, the consequences could be disastrous if the Centre refuses to extend the deadline. There is a high chance that land worth crores across India will be lost. The least the central government can do is to extend the time for uploading documents, he added. The crisis has also triggered sharp political reactions. IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty criticised the Centre for pushing the process at what he called breakneck speed. Under the BJP government, the Muslim community is facing severe crisis. Every new law introduced by the BJP triggers anxiety among minorities. Modi governments move to implement SIR and waqf registration at breakneck speed is part of a strategy to exclude minorities, Kunhalikutty said. He also accused the state government of failing to support the process. The Kerala government is also failing to ensure timely and proper registration of waqf properties on the UMEED portal, he added. Meanwhile, the mahal committees across Kerala report persistent technical glitches on the UMEED portal, difficulty uploading scanned documents, and uncertainty over what constitutes valid evidence for older properties. Many mahals also lack the digital literacy and resources required to complete the process independently. Across Keralas 13,000 mahals, many waqf properties are decades old and lack proper documentation. The UMEED portal requires title deeds, tax receipts, and several other records that simply do not exist for many properties. Kerala has nearly 50,000 waqf assets, and the majority do not have complete legal documents, said V C Iqbal, secretary of Taaleemul Islam Training College, a waqf property under the Tha-Aleemul Islam Committee in Nadapuram. Although the central government began the process six months ago, many mahal committees and muttawallis were unaware of the requirement until a few days ago. The Kerala Waqf Board also failed to communicate the urgency on time. Meetings were called only last week. Many muttawallis are elderly and have no formal education, so they struggled to understand the process. And even when they do, obtaining old records from taluk offices is time-consuming. For very old land, securing documentation is an enormous challenge, he added. The only option is the Waqf Tribunal extending the period for registration, many felt. Though organisations like Samastha approached the Supreme Court, seeking more time, the court said the only way is to approach the National Waqf Tribunal with screenshots of the portals technical glitches, so that a three-month grace period can be granted to each specific mahal, said Kerala Waqf Board member Sainudheen. With the deadline now upon them, community leaders are urging both the Centre and the Kerala government to intervene immediately. They pointed out that the issue is not merely administrative: it has the potential to alter the ownership and protection of waqf assets that have historically supported mosques, madrassas, orphanages, hospitals, burial grounds, and social welfare initiatives within the community. Unless the deadline is extended or an alternate mechanism for phased documentation introduced Keralas waqf properties could face one of the most significant property losses in its history. Tight window UMEED portal was officially launched on June 6, 2025, as part of Waqf Act Purpose: Centralised, transparent, and digitally verified system for the management of all waqf properties across India Documents needed Identity and address proof of the muttawalli (Aadhaar, PAN or Voter ID, recent photo) Copies of any waqf deed / declaration / registration document (if available) Land-revenue / survey / patta / khata / khasra / land-record documents of the property Latest map / survey map / site plan, or obtain GPS coordinates / geo-tagging Photos of the property including boundary and landmarks If the property is rented or leased: rental agreement, tenant details, rent receipts If property produces income (offerings, rent, etc.): income/expense records, bank statements, audit/finance documents (if any) Details of any legal or encroachment issues court orders, FIRs, notices, etc

Ernakulam tops state in per capita GDDP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ernakulam district retained the top slot in nominal Gross District Domestic Product (GDDP) figures for 2024-25 released by the economics and statistics department recently. The districts GDDP was Rs 1,67,661.90 crore (quick estimate), up from Rs 1,50,991.63 crore (provisional estimate) in the previous financial year. Residents in the district recorded the highest per capita GDDP of Rs 4,67,428. In terms of nominal GDDP, the value of goods and services produced in a district at current market prices, Ernakulam was followed by Thrissur (Rs 1,30,104.05 crore), Thiruvananthapuram (Rs 1,24,342.30 crore), Kollam (Rs 1,19,217.76 crore) and Malappuram (Rs 1,08,492.85 crore). All these districts had the same ranking in 2023-24 as well. At the bottom of the list was Wayanad with a GDDP of Rs 2,27,19.57 crore. Alappuzha came second in per capita GDDP, a key indicator of a districts economic health and peoples standard of living. The per capita GDDP, a districts GDDP divided by its population, helps in measuring the average income and economic output per person. Kollam recorded the third-highest per capita GDDP of Rs 4,41,719, followed by Kottayam (Rs 4,08,523) and Idukki (Rs 4,04,881). The lowest per capita GDDP was reported in the most populous district of Malappuram Rs 2,20,533. According to C Veeramani, director of the Centre for Development Studies, per capita GDDP is an indicator of a districts development and the residents standard of living. It reveals the inequality in income distribution among residents of different districts. Ideally, the gap between districts should be low, he told TNIE. Growth rate At 10%, Pathanamthitta recorded the highest year-over-year growth rate in per capita GDDP. The growth rate was based on the real GDDP or the total value of goods and prices produced in a district, adjusted for inflation. Kottayam, 8%, recorded the second highest growth rate and Malappuram the lowest, at 2%.

Kerala: Standing ground, amid the barrage

KOZHIKODE: here is unlikely to be any change in the majority of Muslim voters inclination for the UDF in the local-body polls as it had played out in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the subsequent by-elections to the Palakkad and Nilambur assembly constituencies. This has more to do with the communitys antagonism towards the CPM, driven by a host of factors, than its enthusiasm for the policies of the Congress-led front. The CPMs reluctance to denounce SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesans anti-Muslim remarks remains a major irritant. There is a strong feeling in the community that the left party is quietly backing Vellappally to come out with more remarks disparaging Muslims. Politburo member A Vijayaraghavan has said the party doesnt view Vellappallys remarks as communally coloured. Quizzed on the SNDP chiefs stand, party state secretary M V Govindan remarked that using religion for political gains is the definition of communalism, thereby hinting that Vellappally is not communal. During a recent interaction with mediapersons, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) state president T P Abdulla Koya Madani said it is quite unfortunate that the leader of a renaissance movement is using communally charged language. The Muslim community is thoroughly unhappy that Vellappally remains chairman of the committee formed to protect renaissance values and a trusted ally of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he said. Developments in the Sunni group led by Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar also dont bode well for the CPM. Though some LDF leaders have been working overtime on social media, not all in the rank and file are happy with the positions the CPM has adopted on certain issues.The campaign that the CPM is smuggling in liberal values has also not sat well with Kanthapuram Sunnis. The CPMs game plan of unleashing all-out attacks on the Jamaat-e-Islami also has not paid the expected dividend in the campaign. While opposing the Jamaat ideology in its entirety, Muslim organisations suspect the sincerity of the CPM is raking up the issue in every election. While Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama leaders including Umar Faizi Mukkam and Abdul Hameed Faizi have repeatedly laid into the Jamaat, its president Syed Muhammad Jiffiri Muthukoya Thangal has been more guarded. He refused to be drawn into the controversy over the Welfare Party of India-UDF tie-up, saying Samastha is not concerned about political alliances. The functioning of the home department is another area of worry for the Muslims. The CMs perceived tolerance of ADGP Ajith Kumar, despite his alleged links to RSS leaders, is continuously quoted to attack the CPM. The intervention of spiritual leader Sri M in ending the political violence in Kannur is recalled to buttress the argument that there exists a secret deal between the RSS and the CPM. Ironically, the UDF is also palpitating over happenings. Consolidation may help the front improve its position in Malabar, where Muslims are a strong presence, but its impact in the central and southern regions of the state remains to be seen. Secondly, some Muslim groups have opposed the UDFs attempt to normalise the Jamaat, which they believe is a threat to the community. If such groups decide to defeat Welfare Party candidates, who are backed by the UDF, it will spell trouble for the front in local bodies where one or two seats will prove to be the deciding factor.

Political stability a dream for Koothattukulam

KOCHI: Six chairpersons in 10 years! For the Koothattukulam municipality, formed in 2015, political stability remains a dream. For years, the urban body with 14,625 voters has been craving for wider roads to end congestion. In the past two terms, independent councillors were crucial in deciding the fate of the council as frequent defections kept disrupting governance. Though the UDF grabbed power in Koothattukulam in 2015 with 13 councillors in the 25-member council, the municipality saw four chairmen during the five-year term as independents switched loyalties. The LDF gained control of the municipality in the last one-and-a-half years of the first council. The Left returned in 2020 with the support of 13 councillors, including an independent. However, CPM member Kala Raju and independent P G Sunilkumar supported UDFs no-confidence motion this August, ending LDF rule. Subsequently, Kala assumed charged as chairperson while Sunilkumar was made vice-chairman for the remaining three months. Kala had severed ties with CPM last year alleging the party did not support her when she faced financial crisis and the bank served an auction notice. On January 18, Kala was allegedly abducted in the official car of chairperson Vijaya Sivan when she arrived at the municipal office to vote for UDFs no-confidence motion, and was reportedly kept captive at the CPM area committee office till 4.30pm. Six months later on August 6, UDF moved another no-confidence motion and managed to ouster the LDF. Kala said she opted out of contesting this time as LDF had invoked the anti-defection law against her. She accused LDF of spreading fabricated stories against her at corner meetings. They have foisted cases against my son, too, she said. This year, four ex-chairpersons of the municipality are in the fray. Prince Paul John, the first chairman of the municipality, is the UDF candidate from Ward 10, while Roy Abraham, who was elected as a Congress rebel in 2015 was made chairman with LDF support, is contesting on a BJP ticket. Biju John, a Congress rebel in 2015, is the partys candidate in Ward 3. Vijaya Sivan, the chairperson from 2020 to August 2025, is CPMs pick for Ward 23. The UDF has allocated three seats to Kerala Congress (Jacob) and one to KC. Congress has fielded 22 candidates. In LDF, CPM is contesting from 18 seats, CPI six, and KC(Mani) and NCP one each. The LDF is confident of returning to power. We achieved complete housing in the municipality and ensured 24-hour medical care at Koothattukulam government hospital. In our manifesto, we have promised to raise the hospitals stature to that of a taluk hospital and construct a bypass to end congestion in Koothattukulam town, said leader of opposition in the council Sunny Kuriakose (CPM). Though UDF claims an upper hand, rebels in two wards are posing a challenge to the front. We will return to power with good majority. People are frustrated with LDF as there has not been any development in five years. Besides, there are allegations of corruption. We have fielded leaders with integrity and the response from voters is positive. Rebels do not pose a challenge, declared Prince Paul John, the parliamentary party leader of the council. The NDA, which failed to get any representation in previous councils, is contesting in 19 wardsBJP in 18 and BDJS in one. We dont want to make tall claims, but there is positive response from voters. We are urging them to give us a chance to bring the good governance of Modi regime to Koothattukulam, which has not seen development for 10 years. We are confident of winning a few seats, said BJP state committee member M D Divakaran.

Illegal flex boards mar green election campaign in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralas green election initiative is under strain as widespread use of prohibited campaign materials, especially polycotton, continues unabated despite stringent restrictions. With parties relying heavily on polycotton for campaigning, the state government has launched an extensive enforcement campaign, leading to large-scale seizures and hefty fines on printing units, manufacturers and dealers in the recent drives. The crackdown has triggered a strong backlash. The Sign Printing Industries Association with over 1,500 members has warned of a statewide shutdown of printing activities, protesting against the raids and demanding that use of polycotton, which they claim is PVC-free and cost-effective, be permitted. This year, Green Protocol has been made part of the Model Code of Conduct. The Suchitwa Mission has also intensified pre-election awareness drives, insisting that all campaign materials must use only paper, pure cotton or polyethylene-based material. However, manufacturers argue that compliance is becoming nearly impossible given the tight election timeline. Importing sufficient quantities of polyethylene- currently the only approved alternative -requires long waiting period and high financial risk. We have informed the Election Commission and requested approval to use polycotton. Polyethylene takes at least 50 days to arrive after placing an order, and its shelf life is only three months. If we fail to utilise it in time, the financial loss will be massive, said Sanjay Panicker, general secretary, Sign Printing Industries Association. Industry representatives have submitted documents proving that recycling systems are available for disposing of polycotton. Secretary of Kerala Signage Suppliers Association, Barnapas Pradeep, said polyethylene is imported from China. There are limited sources for getting it in India. The material available here is not of good quality and printing machinery often gets damaged if it is used, he said.