Kochi: Former Congress legislator Anil Akkara, who played a key role in exposing the Rs 324-crore Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam, has claimed that if the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe proceeds in the right direction in this case, top CPI-M leaders will be named as accused in the final charge sheet.

Akkara’s remarks come in response to news that the ED has summoned Alathur Lok Sabha MP K. Radhakrishnan for questioning.

He alleged that Radhakrishnan, along with former minister and current CPI-M legislator A.C. Moideen and former Thrissur CPI-M district secretary M.M. Varghese, would be named as accused if the investigation is conducted thoroughly.

“So far, these leaders have been shielded due to a secret deal struck during the 2024 Thrissur Lok Sabha election. However, the ED has already recovered Rs 60 lakh from CPI-M party bank accounts and Rs 40 lakh from Moideen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This scam occurred during their tenure as Thrissur district CPI-M secretaries,” Akkara said.

The ED’s latest notice to Radhakrishnan comes after a gap of more than six months in the investigation. Radhakrishnan, a former two-time state minister and ex-Speaker, is a prominent CPI-M leader from Thrissur. The notice has put the ruling party on the defensive as it prepares for the 24th Party Congress in Madurai this April.

Radhakrishnan, a member of the CPI-M Central Committee, was served the notice upon his recent arrival in Thrissur. The party is reportedly seeking to delay his appearance, citing the ongoing Parliament session.

This is the first time Radhakrishnan has been summoned since the scam surfaced, sending shockwaves through the party. The ED has already questioned several senior CPI-M leaders, including Moideen, former Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju, former CPI-M legislator M.K. Kannan, and M.M. Varghese.

Several local CPI-M leaders and employees of the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank were arrested and jailed in connection with the scam, although many have since secured bail.

The Thrissur Lok Sabha seat holds particular significance as it was the only constituency in Kerala where the BJP emerged victorious in 2024, with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi clinching the win.

IANS

New Delhi: Embroiled in a battle for survival, Left parties marginally improved their performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leading in eight to 10 seats according to vote counting trends.

The CPI (M), which had only three MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha, was leading in five parliamentary seats, trends of the Election Commission website around 12 noon showed.

The party sprung a surprise in Rajasthan, with its candidate from Sikar, Amra Ram, leading by more than 55,814 votes over BJP’s Sumedhanand Saraswati.

In Tamil Nadu, where the CPI(M) fought on two seats, Madurai and Dindigul, the party was leading in both, while in Kerala’s Alathur K Radhakrishnan of the CPI(M) was leading by more than 15,936 votes against Congress’s Ramya Haridas.

There was a close contest in Attingal in Kerala where the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has pitted V Joy against Congress’s Adoor Prakash. The CPI(M) candidate was leading by around 600 votes, the trends around 12 noon showed.

In West Bengal’s Murshidabad, Md Salim of the CPI(M) was trailing behind Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Abu Taher Khan by around 11,838 votes.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), which had two MPs in 17th Lok Sabha, is leading in two seats in Tamil Nadu — Tirupur and Nagapattinam.

There was a close contest in Bihar’s Begusarai, where CPI’s Abdhesh Kumar Roy was trailing behind BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh by about 8,000 noon, according to the trends around 12 noon.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation was meanwhile leading in two of the three seats it contested in Bihar.

While in Bihar’s Arrah, CPI-ML’s Sudama Prasad was ahead of BJP’s RK Singh by more than 18,000 votes around noon, in Karakat, Raja Ram Singh was ahead of NDA candidate Upendra Kushwaha by around 25,000 votes. The Left party was trailing in Nalanda.

Expelled BJP member and Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh is in the third position in Karakat.

Overall, around noon, the CPI(M) recorded around 1.83 per cent vote share, which has already surpassed the 2019 figure of 1.75 per cent vote share. The CPI’s vote share by noon was 0.57 per cent, while CPI(ML)’s share was 0.11 per cent.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kannur District Election Officer (DEO) Friday suspended five poll officials for dereliction of duty after it was found that a CPI-M polling agent helped a 92-year-old woman cast her vote from home.

According to the election rules, voters above the age of 85 can vote from their homes.

The incident took place Thursday at the residence of Devi (92), which falls under Booth No. 164 in the Kasargod Lok Sabha constituency in Kannur district. In some visuals that have surfaced, local CPI-M leader Ganeshan could be seen helping the woman cast her vote. As per the rules, polling agents of any party cannot assist voters in exercising their franchise.

The suspension came after a probe conducted by an election official reported that there was a dereliction of duty by the five election officials, as the secrecy to be maintained during voting was breached.

Those suspended include a special polling officer, polling assistant, micro observer, special police officer, and the videographer.

Meanwhile, the local police will register a criminal case against the Ganeshan.

IANS

Kolkata: At a time when the Trinamool Congress leadership is playing it safe over the recently surfaced “cash for query” case involving the party Lok Sabha member from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, Mahua Moitra, the latter has received unprecedented support from the leadership of her party’s arch political rival, the CPI(M).

The Trinamool Congress leadership, while making it clear that Moitra will have to fight her own battle in the matter, has reserved its reaction till the decision of the Ethics Committee of Parliament comes.

However, heavyweight CPI(M) leaders, mainly the party’s politburo member and state secretary in West Bengal Md Salim and central committee member Sujan Chakraborty have made public statements of sympathy for Moitra.

While claiming that from the nature of the allegations against Moitra it is evident that they were sponsored, Salim questioned the manner in which the meeting of the otherwise inactive “Ethics Committee” was convened overnight in this particular case. Salim also accused West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of being attentive only about “her own nephew” without caring for others in her party.

Chakraborty said that it is evident that since Moitra was more vocal on the floor of Parliament on the Adani issue than other Trinamool Congress MPs, she is facing the ire of the ruling party at the Centre and recent developments are a reflection of this.

Political observers feel that the Marxists have a three-point strategy while dealing with Moitra and going soft on her even though her party, Trinamool Congress, is their principal political opponent in West Bengal.

The first part of the strategy is to send a signal to the Congress, especially its leader Rahul Gandhi, that the CPI(M) leadership is in solidarity with the leader of the country’s oldest national party on the Adani Group issue. Like the CPI(M), a number of Congress leaders too have expressed solidarity with Moitra in the “cash for query’ case.

The second part is to silence that section of the political class, which often accuses the CPI(M) of underplaying the BJP-issue in West Bengal in its enthusiasm to create an anti-people image of the Trinamool Congress over corruption.

“This was a subtle message from the CPI(M) leadership that though the Trinamool Congress might be uncomfortable in backing their most vocal Lok Sabha member on the Adani issue, the CPI(M) is not playing soft in the matter,” a city-based political observer said.

The third part of the strategy, according to observers, is an attempt by the CPI(M) leadership to create a division in the l Trinamool Congress on this issue.

“From Md Salim’s comment that the “aunt is not willing to protect anyone else in her party other that her own nephew’ or Sujan Chakraborty’s comment that “Moitra were more vocal on the Adani issue than any of her fellow party Parliamentarians’, it is evident that the Left leaders want to kindle an internal feud within the ruling Trinamool Congress,” the political observer pointed out.

Political observers feel that the Trinamool Congress has its own compulsion in not backing Moitra since that might jeopardize the Adani Group’s proposed investments in West Bengal for the next few years.

In April last year while addressing the inaugural session of the Bengal Global Business Summit-2022, the annual event organised by the West Bengal government to showcase the state as an ideal investment destination, the Adani Group founder and chairman Gautam Adani promised investment by his group in the state to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore over the next few years.

IANS

Bengaluru: The opposition alliance is likely to be named INDIA (Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance), sources said Tuesday, adding that most leaders agree on it though there is no final decision yet.

Top leaders of 26 opposition parties are meeting here to discuss a united strategy to take on the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Indicating that such a name is being considered, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore said on Twitter, “INDIA will win.”

“Chak De! INDIA,” tweeted Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien even as the meeting was underway.

Sources said the parties are also likely to issue a joint declaration and finalise a committee for the functioning of the grouping. Sources say the name of Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the new grouping is also suggested.

Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of UPA 1 and 2, which remained in government from 2004 to 2014.

They will also announce two sub-committees one for finalising the common minimum programme along with communication points and the other for chalking out a joint opposition programme of events, rallies and conventions.

Top opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, chief ministers of West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra along with party presidents and leaders of several parties were present at the meeting Tuesday.

Pawar, who joined the meeting on day two, was accorded a warm welcome at the airport.

In a Facebook post, Rahul Gandhi said, “A United Opposition- To protect our Democracy, To Safeguard India’s Constitution.”

Discussions on state-wise seat-sharing and ironing out differences among regional outfits are on the agenda, they said, adding the issue of Manipur was discussed and the need for sending an all-party delegation to the violence-hit state stressed upon.

The issue of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was discussed Monday and further talks would take place Tuesday.

Among others at the meeting hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), besides Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) and MDMK MP Vaiko.

The Opposition meeting coincides with the NDA meeting convened Tuesday in Delhi, where some new allies are likely to join the ruling BJP-led coalition.

Talks of unity notwithstanding, differences among opposition parties, especially those who have been traditional rivals, remain and reconciling political interests will be a challenging task.

Fifteen parties, including the Congress, TMC, AAP, CPI, CPI-M, RJD, JMM, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), SP and the JDU, attended the last meeting for opposition unity hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 23.

Among the parties added this time are the MDMK, KDMK, VCK, RSP, CPI-ML, Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph) and the Kerala Congress (Mani), besides the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) of Krishna Patel and Tamil Nadu’s Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) led by M H Jawahirullah.

The total strength of the opposition parties attending this meeting is around 150 in Lok Sabha.

PTI

Bengaluru: NCP leader Sharad Pawar Tuesday joined the opposition unity meeting here which will hold deliberations on giving the grouping of 26 opposition parties a name, structure and common agenda to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

While the first day of the meeting saw informal discussions followed by a dinner meeting, Tuesday will see formal deliberations.

All political parties were asked at the dinner meeting Monday night to suggest names for the alliance and the same would be discussed and consensus would be arrived at during the deliberations.

Sources said the parties are also likely to issue a joint declaration and finalise a committee for the functioning of the grouping. Sources say the name of Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the new grouping is also suggested.

Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of UPA 1 and 2, which remained in government from 2004 to 2014.

They will also announce two sub-committees one for finalising the common minimum programme along with communication points and the other for chalking out a joint opposition programme of events, rallies and conventions.

Top opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, chief ministers of West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra along with party presidents and leaders of several parties were present at the meeting Tuesday.

Pawar, who joined the meeting on day two, was accorded a warm welcome at the airport.

In a Facebook post, Rahul Gandhi said, “A United Opposition- To protect our Democracy, To Safeguard India’s Constitution.”

Discussions on state-wise seat-sharing and ironing out differences among regional outfits are on the agenda, they said, adding the issue of Manipur was discussed and the need for sending an all-party delegation to the violence-hit state stressed upon.

The issue of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was discussed Monday and further talks would take place Tuesday.

Among others at the meeting hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), besides Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) and MDMK MP Vaiko.

The Opposition meeting coincides with the NDA meeting convened Tuesday in Delhi, where some new allies are likely to join the ruling BJP-led coalition.

Talks of unity notwithstanding, differences among opposition parties, especially those who have been traditional rivals, remain and reconciling political interests will be a challenging task.

Fifteen parties, including the Congress, TMC, AAP, CPI, CPI-M, RJD, JMM, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), SP and the JDU, attended the last meeting for opposition unity hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 23.

Among the parties added this time are the MDMK, KDMK, VCK, RSP, CPI-ML, Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph) and the Kerala Congress (Mani), besides the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) of Krishna Patel and Tamil Nadu’s Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) led by M H Jawahirullah.

The total strength of the opposition parties attending this meeting is around 150 in Lok Sabha.

PTI

New Delhi: Leaders of 16 opposition parties Tuesday met in Parliament complex and decided to step up their demand for a JPC on the Adani issue.

The government’s offensive against Rahul Gandhi over his democracy remarks in London also came up for discussion at the meeting held in the chamber of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, sources said.

Among the parties which attended the meeting include the Congress, DMK, CPI-M, JDU, RJD, NCP, SP, SS (Uddhav), AAP, CPI, JMM, IUML, MDMK, NC, VCK and Kerala Congress.

Earlier, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi met senior leaders of the party at the Congress office in Parliament House to discuss the party’s strategy in the wake of the government’s attack on Rahul Gandhi.

Sources said the Congress strategy group decided to step up the demand for a JPC on the Adani issue.

Several Congress leaders have given adjournment notices in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha for discussing the Adani issue. These include Pramod Tiwari, Naseer Hussain, Amee Yajnik, Kumar Ketkar, Jebi Mather and Neeraj Dangi.

PTI

New Delhi: Opposition parties questioned Monday the need to deploy remote voting machines. The parties urged the Election Commission to address the issue of urban apathy towards the poll process. “No opposition party wants to see the demonstration of a remote voting machine (RVM). First the issue of the need to have such a machine should be settled,” senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh told reporters after participating in a meeting of political parties convened by the poll body to demonstrate the working of an RVM.

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said he felt that there would be no remote voting machine demonstration till there is a consensus on having one. No political party is prepared to see the demonstration, Singh pointed out.

“The idea of RVM is not acceptable,” Singh asserted. He added that the commission should address concerns about electronic voting machines raised by eminent citizens of India.

The EC should also address the issue of urban apathy towards the election process, the Congress leader said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh too questioned the need for an RVM. He there were other ways to increase participation of voters.

“How will we campaign in different states among eligible migrant voters using RVM? When there is a bypoll on one seat, say Jalandhar, RVM is not acceptable,” Sanjay said.

The poll panel had invited representatives of eight national and 57 recognised state parties for an RVM demonstration here. The EC has maintained that RVMs, developed by the public sector undertaking Electronics Corporation of India, will be a standalone device not connected to the internet in any way. The initiative, if implemented, can lead to a ‘social transformation’ for migrants, the EC had said last month.

Each machine can handle up to 72 constituencies, allowing migrant voters to cast their votes from a remote polling booth.

Parties were also asked to give in writing their views by the end of January on issues, such as changes required in the law to allow the use of RVMs. Leaders of most Opposition parties decided to oppose the EC’s proposal on RVMs after a meeting Sunday facilitated by the Congress.

The meeting was attended by leaders of the JD(U), Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI(M), National Conference, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Peoples Democratic Party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and the Indian Union Muslim League, as well as Independent Rajya Sabha MP and former Congress leader Kapil Sibal.

Thiruvananthapuram: In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Kerala’s CPI-M-led Left government appears to be the first to be out on the streets as it on Friday announced a statewide vehicle rally, led by CPI-M state Secretary MV Govindan, against the policies of the Centre.

Announcing the agitation, Govindan said that the yatra is “to expose the indifferent attitude of the Centre towards the genuine needs of the state especially when their plea for improved financial assistance is not being granted”.

Another aspect that will be highlighted during the yatra will be the attitude of the Centre and the RSS towards the minority communities.

Govindan said the rally will start from Kasargod February 20, will pass through all the 140 Assembly constituencies, and reach the state capital on March 18.

The permanent members accompanying Govindan include P.K. Biju, M. Swaraj, C.S. Sujatha, K.T. Jaleel, and Jakes C. Thomas.

Incidentally in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Left was whitewashed after the Congress-led UDF won 19 out of the 20 seats in the state.

IANS

Bangalore/New Delhi: Several political parties and minority organisations frowned upon the Karnataka High Court’s decision Tuesday to uphold the ban on hijab in educational institutions. They termed the hijab ban ‘deeply disappointing’, ‘contrary to constitutional guarantees of equality’ and ‘adversely impacting’ religious freedom and education of Muslim girls.

The order, however, found favour with many BJP leaders. They hailed the hijab ban and said the entire debate on the issue should be seen from the context of women empowerment.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan also welcomed the court ruling. He expressed hope that ‘such continuous attempts to push back young Muslim women into the four walls of a house, fail’.

The matter however, has reached the Supreme Court with a student, who was one of the petitioners before the high court, filing a plea challenging the verdict.

Reacting to the Karnataka High Court verdict, prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind expressed deep disappointment. It said the ruling would have adverse impact on religious freedom and education of Muslim girls.

The Congress said the onus of ensuring education of the girl child and maintaining peace and harmony lies on the BJP government led by Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai.

Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Karnataka government should ensure that none is allowed to vitiate the atmosphere in schools and colleges and peace is not sacrificed for BJP’s agenda of polarisation on communal lines.

Karnakata Congress president DK Shivakumar said his greatest concern in the hijab controversy is education, and law and order.

In Jammu and Kashmir, political parties and religious organisations called the high court ruling ‘deeply disappointing’. They said it was not only about religion but the freedom to choose.

Taking to Twitter, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “Karnataka HC’s decision to uphold the hijab ban is deeply disappointing. On one hand we talk about empowering women yet we are denying them the right to a simple choice. It isn’t just about religion but the freedom to choose.”

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said it was a ‘travesty’ that the court did not uphold the basic right of a woman to choose how she wants to dress.

Sajad Lone-led Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference said in a tweet, “Karnataka High Court upholds decision on #HijabBan. The already growing imbalance in country further erodes individual’s belief in the idea of India & is impacting democracy. The resulting fatalism causes maximum people to give up on democracy, & alienation grows further.”

BJP leaders including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who hails from Karnataka, and former Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, welcomed the verdict. Joshi appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony.

The ‘Campus Front of India’ said the ‘court verdict on hijab ban destructs the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution’.

AIMIM leader and Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi sought to ‘disagree’ with the HC judgement. He wanted the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and organisations of other religious groups to appeal against the order.

“… If it is MY belief & faith that covering my head is essential then I have a right to EXPRESS it as I deem fit. For a devout Muslim, hijab is also an act of worship. Banning headscarf definitely harms devout Muslim women and their families as it prevents them from accessing education,” Owaisi said in a tweet.

The CPI-M, in its reaction, tweeted, “Hijab decision of Karnataka HC is contrary to constitutional guarantees of equality. Judiciary is not expected to uphold discriminatory policies. Wearing a scarf to cover one’s head has never been considered a violation of uniform. Justice from Supreme Court urgently required.”

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday refused to entertain a plea from the BJP seeking a direction to the West Bengal government, state election panel and other functionaries to prepare a comprehensive action plan and deploy sufficient central police forces to ensure free and fair municipal polls in Kolkata.

A bench comprising justices L Nagesara Rao and B R Gavai asked the state BJP to withdraw the plea and move the Calcutta High Court with its grievances and relief that more central forces be deployed for smooth and fair conducted of the civic polls in the state capital December 19.

Following notification of the civic polls and the BJP finalising its list of candidates for it, the party’s nominees have been threatened and pressured, senior advocate Maninder Singh, who is appearing for the West Bengal BJP, said.

He also said that though complaints have been lodged, no FIR has been registered, so far, by the state police.   “Why 32 (under Article 32 of the Constitution, a petition is filed directly in the Supreme Court),” the bench asked, adding that a petition should have been filed in the high court, which is more aware about the security and other local aspects.

“The problem is if we start taking this on 32, there would be no end”, the bench said, leading to withdrawal of the plea by the West Bengal BJP to move the high court.

The apex court, December 7, had agreed to hear the BJP’s plea seeking a direction to the West Bengal government and others to prepare a comprehensive action plan and deploy sufficient central police forces to ensure free and fair municipal polls in Kolkata.

The top court November 25 had directed the Union home ministry to provide two additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to secure polling booths during the Tripura municipal polls after opposition TMC and CPI (M) alleged that their candidates and supporters were not being allowed to cast their votes.

The BJP, in its plea filed by its state president and MP Sukanta Majumdar, has sought a direction to “the state functionaries (West Bengal) to produce a comprehensive action plan and deploy sufficient central police forces to ensure that free and fair municipal elections are held in Kolkata”.

The plea, filed through lawyers Aditya Sharma and Nachiketa Joshi, said that the BJP finalised its candidates after the West Bengal State Election Commission notified the elections to be held for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

“That pursuant to finalisation of the candidates by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), various candidates have received threats and are being pressured to withdraw their candidature. Some of the candidates have reported that members of their family are being threatened,” it said.

“… These threats and violence cast grave infractions on the constitutional mandate of conducting free, fair and democratic election,” the plea said and referred to some complaints made by BJP candidates to authorities.

It said that there was a necessity to deploy central forces in the light of post-poll violence – after the West Bengal assembly elections — in May.

“Holding free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate. Article 324 is a reservoir of power for the Election Commission to act for avowed purpose of pursuing the goal of free and fair elections and in this view, it also assumes the role of the advisor,” it said.

The petition said that it is seeking adequate security development in light of the targeted widespread post-poll violence that occurred in West Bengal in May.

It said representations have been filed with authorities and the Governor, seeking deployment of additional forces to ensure a fair and transparent election.

“This has been done in light of the fact that the candidates have been receiving threats from TMC goons which have been identified by the candidates. Candidates are scared for their life and are being pressured to withdraw their nomination,” it said.

Deployment of central forces will aid and assist the state administration in conducting free and fair elections and this is necessary to ensure free and fair elections, the plea said.

“Conducting free and fair elections is inherent to the functioning of the democracy and therefore, free and fair elections form part of the basic structure of this democracy,” it said.

Besides the state government, the plea has made the Home Secretary (Police), the DG and IGP and the Centre as parties.

PTI

Thiruvananthapuram: True to his style of being the last word in the CPI-M and also in the government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan delivered a beamer Tuesday when he, much to the surprise and dismay of many, dropped the acclaimed Health Minister K.K. Shailaja from his new cabinet, while he gave a ministerial post to his son-in-law P.A. Mohammed Riyaz.

The 21-member cabinet includes 12 from the CPI-M, four from the CPI, one each from the Kerala Congress (M), NCP and Janata Dal(S) and one each from two allies which will be shared between the four allies, each having one legislator.

It was Loktantrik Janata Dal, the only ally which did not get a cabinet post. It has come as a shock to many in the party and outside and all what Shailaja said was, she is a disciplined party worker and will abide by the party’s decision.

All the other names were on expected lines and there was only one norm and that was unflinching loyalty to Vijayan and it includes, former Rajya Sabha members P. Rajiv and K.N. Balagopal, the women include R. Bindu, a college professor and more importantly the wife of the present CPI-M secretary A. Vijayaraghavan besides journalist turned two time legislator Veena George.

The others include Vijayan’s closest aide and in all likelihood will be the number two — M. Govindan who hails from Kannur, besides, Saji Cherian, former State Minister and also former Speaker K. Radhakrishnan who was elected from a scheduled caste constituency in Thrissur district.

V. Sivankutty was also a certainty as he was the one who defeated strong BJP candidate Kummanem Rajasekheran at the Nemom seat in the state capital, which he lost to BJP veteran O. Rajagopal in the 2016 assembly polls.

Then there is V. Abdurahiman who has come from the Muslim dominated Malappuram district, however belongs to the National Secular Conference a party which has the blessings of the CPI-M but not an ally. V.N. Vasavan is another leader from the CPI-M, a known loyalist of Vijayan who has been given a ministerial post.

Two time Lok Sabha member M.B. Rajesh, who lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Palakkad has been selected for the Speaker’s post.

Meanwhile reports have surfaced that the national leadership of the CPI-M have expressed their displeasure over the exclusion of Shailaja and the social media is also abuzz after the development and the way she was given a raw deal.

However outgoing State Power Minister and CPI-M veteran M.M. Mani said it’s the party which decides who should be what and all should know that there are so many leaders in their party and the party’s decision is final, he said, when asked why he was not given a second term.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s ruling CPI-M on Wednesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks against the state’s Pinarayi Vijayan government and termed him a ‘recruiting agent of the BJP’.

A statement issued here after a meeting of the CPI-M state Secretariat said it was really surprising to note that a top national Congress leader’s speech did not have even a weak statement against the BJP.

“His speech sounded that he was the recruiting agent of the BJP, which is shocking,” it said, adding it “reveals the communal intent, which has become the fuel for numerous Congress legislators in other states to turn towards the BJP”.

“It was unbecoming of Gandhi to have made such statements and has lowered his stock. His remarks on gold smuggling and about jobless youths might be with regards to the Congress party, when it ruled the Centre. Also he would have the picture of Robert Vadra, presently facing numerous cases . He (Gandhi) is one who is presently on bail in a financial fraud case. Not long ago he was the one who attacked these central agencies, but when he came to Kerala, he has done a somersault and says these agencies are going slow on cases here… one has a doubt, if he has a secret deal with the BJP,” it said.

The CPI-M secretariat also noted that it was the globalisation policies of the Congress government in 1991 which gave permission to foreign trawlers to enter our seas and the same has happened in the agrarian sector also.

Gandhi, who represents the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, had, in his address at a massive rally to mark conclusion of the statewide yatra of Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, had gone hammer and tongs against Vijayan and the CPI-M, attacking it on issues ranging from the gold smuggling case to the “backdoor” appointments row.

He even went to the extent of hinting at a new-found relation between the BJP and the CPI-M.

Many Congressmen who heard Gandhi were perplexed as this was the first time that he had unleashed a scathing attack on the CPI-M after remaining mum during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections though it was the Congress’s principal opponent in Kerala.

IANS

Thiruvananthapuram: A voice clip purported to be that of gold smuggling case key accused Swapna Suresh, now in judicial custody, alleging Central agencies were putting pressure on her to give a statement against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has created a stir in Kerala. While a probe was ordered by the prison department into the episode Thursday, the ruling CPI-M said the alleged use of probe agencies ‘to target the chief minister’ and the government was a very serious matter.

Union Minister of State, V Muraleedharan and the state Congress slammed the Left front government, alleging it was a ‘political plot’ to divert attention from corruption charges ahead of the local body elections next month.

In the clip, released by an online news portal Wednesday, Suresh purportedly said that the investigation agencies allegedly tried to force her to take the name of Vijayan, which she refused to do. She was also asked to sign documents regarding her statement without being permitted to read them,it was alleged.

The Customs, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate are conducting separate probes into the gold smuggling racket using diplomatic channel that was busted with the seizure of Rs 15 crore worth of the precious metal from a baggage of the UAE Consulate at the airport here July 5.

Suresh, a former employee of the consulate, and several others have been arrested in connection with the case.

Following surfacing of the voice clip, Prisons DGP Rishiraj Singh ordered a probe directing South Zone DIG Ajaykumar to look into the matter and submit a report Thursday itself.

“DIG south zone is probing the matter. The genuineness of the voice note will also be probed. We will seek the help of the cyber cell of Kerala police in the matter,” Singh told reporters.

Shortly later, Ajaykumar visited the Attakulangara women prison here, where Suresh is lodged, and later told mediapersons that she had admitted the voice in the clip was hers. But, the recording was not made in the jail.

Muraleedharan alleged the voice clip was planted by the chief minister’s office and it was a conspiracy ahead of the local body polls to derail the probe reaching Vijayan’s office.

“Swapna Suresh is in jail. This is a move by the CMO to derail the probe reaching the CMO. This is a drama by the CPI (M). It doesn’t have any importance, Muraleedharan told reporters here.

“The agencies were moving forward to bring the culprits to justice and to find the origin and the end user in the smuggling racket. This (the voice clip) was a move by the CPI(M) to strengthen their campaign that the investigating agencies are targeting the chief minister’s office. So the political beneficiary is the CM,” claimed Muraleedharan.

Kochi: The CPI-M has ruled out the resignation of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after his former secretary and senior IAS official M. Sivasankar was arrested and presented before a court here which sent him to a week’s custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the gold smuggling case.

The ED has named Sivasankar as the fifth accused in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, while the others in the list of accused includes the prime accused in the gold smuggling case – Swapna Suresh, P.S. Sarith, Sandip Nair and Faizal Fareed.

The ED had taken Sivasankar into custody from an Ayurveda institution on Wednesday in the state capital, moments after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected.

Later in the night his arrest was recorded and on Thursday morning the ED took him to the Ernakulam Principal Session Court.

In the court, Sivasankar said he is being harassed by the ED and he was questioned till 1 a.m. and it started again at 5.30 a.m.

He said that he was picked up by the ED while he was on a two-week Ayurveda treatment and he had completed only 9 days’ treatment.

The ED pointed out that Sivasankar is not cooperating with the probe. The court after hearing both the sides, handed the top IAS official to the ED for a week’s questioning.

The court also asked ED to give him rest for an hour after three hours of questioning besides allowed him to meet his counsel.

Sivasankar was also given permission if the need arises to consult an Ayurvedic doctor.

Across the state on Thursday, various feeder organisations of both the Congress and the BJP are protesting in the streets demanding the resignation of Vijayan.

“Where is Vijayan, he is not to be seen for a few days now. He just cannot wash his hands off. He never ever said a word of ever meeting Swapna and first he said there was a lightning and destroyed the CCTV in his official residence. Much later he was forced to say that he has met Swapna at his official residence. Vijayan knows everything and he cannot remain in hiding,” said Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

State BJP president K. Surendran dropped another bombshell when he told the media in the state capital that he has solid information that it’s just not Sivasankar alone.

“Apart from Sivasankar, two officials in Vijayan’s office also has a role in the case. The smuggling gang has visited Vijayan’s office and two state ministers also have links with the accused. I say this with full responsibility and this is not just a political allegation,” said Surendran and added that Swapna was in UAE when Vijayan was there.

But batting for Vijayan was his close party leader M.V. Govindan who said there is no question of Vijayan resigning.

“That’s ruled out and if anyone says about moral responsibility, then it should be PM Modi who has that because Sivasankar is a central service official. Let the present probe go forward, the CPI-M has nothing to fear and the question of resignation is ruled out,” said Govindan.

With the arrest of Sivasankar, he has entered the record books by becoming the first serving IAS official in the state to be arrested.

Meanwhile the Customs is also likely to seek the custody of Sivasankar, even as he is expected to move for bail.

IANS

New Delhi: The CPI(M) said Monday the ‘unilateral agenda’ of US President Donald Trump’s visit is to further prise open the Indian economy to boost the US corporate interest and help his re-election bid. The party also called upon the Narendra Modi government not to succumb to the US agenda.

“The Politburo of the CPI(M) calls upon the Modi government not to succumb to the unilateral agenda of US President Donald Trump on his visit to India. The singular intention of the US administration is to further prise open Indian economy to boost the US corporate interest and thus help the reelection bid of Trump,” the party said in a statement.

It also said the US agenda will ‘adversely affect’ the interests of the Indian farmers, agriculture, particularly the dairy and poultry sectors.

“USA allows its agribusiness to distort prices to outcompete local farmers in the developing countries with a subsidy of a whopping $ 867 billion.  Trump wants India to now remove the tariff barrier which serves as a policy tool to protect the Indian farmers, food procurement for people’s food security and minimum support price to our farmers. This will destroy Indian agriculture and the livelihood of crores of our people,” the party said.

Accusing the US President of targeting India’s health care sector, the CPI (M) said its demands that India must remove the compulsory licensing for the benefit of mega US pharmaceutical corporations was ‘misplaced’.

“The US corporate agenda on e-commerce is equally invasive which is trying to cajole India to sign the digital trade regime at WTO which would allow US big-tech to increase their control over the economy and the political process and facilitate free cross border data flows without compensation,” the party pointed out.

“At the same time, the Indian government must insist on US restrictive policy on visas which is adversely affecting Indian IT industry.  Pressures are being exerted on export subsidy for small manufactures especially in fields like solar cell manufacturing,” the CPI (M) added.

The Politburo of the party calls upon the BJP government to resist such US pressures which undermine India’s economy and security concerns.

PTI

New Delhi: The CPI-M Monday said it would file a petition in the Supreme Court against the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying the tweaked law is violative of constitutional provisions.

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said here that the apex court would be approached either Monday or Tuesday. He said the amended law is violative of constitutional provisions.

“Opposing the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act is an issue of safeguarding the sanctity of the Constitution. It is not a ‘Hindu-Muslim’ issue. It is about being Indian,” he said.

He said the new citizenship law violates the founding principles of India. “PM’s statements that protester’s ‘clothes’ reveal their identity yesterday, and his comments today too, reveal how thoughtless and callous this government is. CAA is anti- Indian. Safeguarding our Constitution is an expression of ultimate patriotism,” he said.

Yechury also demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah answer why police personnel entered the Jamia Millia Islamia premises without permission. “There is a law in this country that the police cannot enter without prior permission, how then did the police enter the varsity,” he asked.

However, he also appealed to protestors to maintain calm and peace and not to fall prey to communal elements.

He said he was “aghast” at the barbaric behaviour of the police. “We have appealed to all the parties to come and join us for protests on December 19. We will have a synchronised protest against the citizenship law,” he said.

Earlier, Yechury was also part of an opposition press conference condemning the police “brutality” against students of Jamia Millia Islamia in which they demanded an inquiry by a Supreme Court judge into the incidents of students being thrashed in the campus.

Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal, CPI’s D Raja, RJD’s Manoj Jha, SP’s Javed Ali Khan and Sharad Yadav were part of it.

PTI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Badharghat in Tripura and Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh for voting for the BJP in the assembly by-polls.

“I thank my sisters and brothers of Badharghat in Tripura and Hamirpur in UP for placing their faith in @BJP4India. We will always remain at the forefront of fulfilling their dreams. I salute the respective state units and Karyakartas who worked hard among the people,” the PM tweeted.

BJP’s Mimi Majumdar won the Badharghat election polling 20,487 votes. The closest was Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Bulti Biswas who secured 15,211 votes.

In Hamirpur, the BJP’s Yuvraj Singh polled 74,500 votes, while the Samajwadi Party candidate got 57,300 votes in the by-poll.

IANS

Kottayam (Ker): The ruling CPI(M) led LDF Friday won the byelection to Pala assembly constituency, wresting the seat from the opposition Congress led UDF.

LDF candidate Mani C Kappen defeated Jose Tom Pulikkunel of the opposition Congress-led UDF in a closely contested fight.

Kappen, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, defeated Pulikkunel, a faction leader of the Kerala Congress (M) by 2,943 votes.

Pala was a bastion of the Congress-led UDF, held by veteran leader and former Finance Minister K M Mani for the last five decades.

The bypoll was necessitated due to the demise of Mani in April.

The win has come as a huge relief to the LDF after its rout in the Lok Sabha polls.

The bypoll was viewed as an acid test for UDF and the BJP headed NDA as a victory would have given boost to the three major combines prospects in the by-elections to five more assembly constituencies scheduled for October 21.

PTI

Falta (WB): Amidst reports of six deaths purportedly over fears of implementation of NRC in West Bengal, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee Monday threatened to “stop” BJP and CPI(M) from pursuing politics in South 24 Parganas district in case of recurrence of such an incident in the state.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed during the day that two persons have allegedly committed suicide after failing to get hold of old documents and four others fell ill and died while standing in queues with thousands of others at government offices in the state to get their documents for the purpose of NRC.

She had also accused BJP of creating panic over the citizens’ register.

In Assam, where the exercise was carried out as per the Assam Accord under the supervision of the Supreme Court, about 19.6 lakh people have been left out of the final NRC.

Addressing a protest rally at Falta in South 24 Parganas district where a person died Monday allegedly over panic on NRC, Banerjee, nephew of the chief minister, said “We will never allow NRC in Bengal. Even if the Centre or the union home minister say that there will be NRC in Bengal, it does not mean that we will allow it.”

For the NRC exercise the Centre will need the cooperation of the state government and the TMC government in Bengal will never provide it for such an “anti-people step,” he said.

“As long as we are alive we will never allow it (NRC)… I request the people not to pay heed to the rumours and news over NRC. Don’t panic, no one will be able to touch you,” he  said.

Alleging that the saffron party and the Left have joined hands in West Bengal, he said “I want to caution CPI(M) and BJP that if there is one more death over NRC panic in the state we will stop politics by them in South 24 Parganas district,” the TMC MP said.

Banerjee claimed that in Assam the BJP had said names of only Bangladeshi Muslims will be removed from the NRC. “But now in the final NRC list we are witnessing that out of the over 19 lakh people whose names have been omitted, 12 lakhs are Hindus. This is how BJP has betrayed Hindus and Bengalis in Assam — this is its true face,” he added.