VS Achuthanandan, Former Chief Minister Of Kerala, Dies At 101
Veteran CPM leader and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan died on Monday, after a long hospitalization. The 101-year-old was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on June 23 after he suffered a suspected cardiac arrest at home. He had been in the intensive care unit on ventilator support.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary MV Govindan have rushed to the hospital to meet the family and speak to the attending doctors. A steady stream of political leaders are already making a beeline for the hospital to pay their respects.
The veteran leader had been staying alternately with his son or daughter in Thiruvananthapuram since he quit as the Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Committee in January 2021.
A towering figure in Kerala's political landscape, Achutanandan's populist stance and uncompromising image won him admiration across party lines.
Achuthanandan had been the Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, when he had spearheaded the attack on the UDF government led by AK Antony. In 2006, he had led the CPM-led Left Democratic Front to victory and served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011.
In 2011, he crafted the LDF campaign and leading from the front, came close to securing a second term, but the Oommen Chandy-led UDF managed a narrow win, securing 72 seats in the 140-member Assembly.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
AGP grassroots push for more seats ahead of Assam polls, declare candidates in some constituencies
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) workers are pushing for more seats in the upcoming Assam assembly polls, with some even naming potential candidates. Despite internal pressure and seat demands, AGP President Atul Bora denies any rebellion within the party. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Guwahati: Grassroot workers of BJP's ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) have started flexing their muscles for they want more seats for the regional party in the next year's assembly polls. In some seats the workers have even declared probable 2021 assembly polls the regional party AGP contested 29 while in contested 26 seats directly and in three seats in a friendly fight. It won nine seats. The party has been in alliance with BJP since 2014. Assembly polls in Assam are likely to take place early next year.A section of AGP workers is seeking Majuli seats besides Lakhimpur, Bihpuria, Ranganadi, Gohpur and Nalbari. The workers are also seeking to contest six assembly seats in Kamrup districts Recently AGP President Atul Bora was visiting different places and talking to the workers and pacifying recently claimed that there is no rebellion in the party. Such discussions are going on only in the media. 'Our grassroots workers are good; some leaders are aspiring for these seats. In alliance there is give and take.'Recently Satyabrata Kalita former MLA announced that he will contest in 2026 from Kamalpur. In 2011 this seat was given to BJP and the party wrested Thursday AGP president and State Cabinet Minister Atul Bora led a party delegation to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. They also met BJP national JP AGP delegation included working president and State Minister Keshab Mahanta , AGP general secretary and newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Birendra Prasad Baishya, and senior AGP leader and Lok Sabha MP Phani Bhusan Choudhury. 'We expressed our heartfelt gratitude to Amit Shah for his unwavering support and visionary leadership, which continue to guide Assam toward lasting peace and accelerated progress,' Bora added that under the NDA Government, Assam has witnessed transformative growth, and the AGP, a proud ally of the BJP-led NDA, remains fully committed to this path of stability and development. Bora further stated that the BJP-AGP alliance will continue working in close coordination to ensure inclusive development and a brighter future for every citizen of the workers are pressing that this time Koliabor seat must have a BJP candidate. AGP's Keshav Mahanta has been winning the seat since Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that alliance with AGP is a settled fact and both parties will jointly contest the next year's assembly polls.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Men in Ladki Bahin Yojana list: Money will be recovered: Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar promises action
Action will be taken against men who have fraudulently become part of the Maharashtra government 's Ladki Bahin Yojana and money given to them under the scheme will be recovered, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Saturday. His statement came amid reports that 14,000 men were beneficiaries of the scheme, under which women get Rs 1500 per month as aid subject to certain conditions, including annual family income. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Operations Management Leadership Healthcare Cybersecurity Design Thinking Data Science MBA Data Science MCA CXO Public Policy Data Analytics Technology Product Management others Others Degree Digital Marketing healthcare Artificial Intelligence Project Management PGDM Management Finance Skills you'll gain: Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma Analytical Tools Supply Chain Management & Strategies Service Operations Management Duration: 10 Months IIM Lucknow IIML Executive Programme in Strategic Operations Management & Supply Chain Analytics Starts on Jan 27, 2024 Get Details The scheme started in August last year and is credited as one of the prime reasons for the spectacular victory of the BJP-led Mahayuti in the November 2024 assembly polls. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Find out: this is how you clean your yoga mat! Kingdom Of Men Undo "Ladki Bahin scheme was launched to help poor women. There is absolutely no reason why men should be its beneficiaries. We will recover money given to them. If they do not cooperate, further action will be taken," Pawar told reporters. "Some women employed with the government had also become beneficiaries but we removed their names. As we continue to review the scheme's working, we will keep removing such names," he added.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
China's Premier Li Qiang says AI progress needs regulation, not just speed, calls for global cooperation
China's Premier Li Qiang called for urgent global consensus on artificial intelligence safety and governance, announcing a new international cooperation body. read more Chinese Premier Li Qiang is seen on a screen as he speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. AFP China's Premier Li Qiang warned on Saturday that the growth of artificial intelligence must be balanced against security risks, stating that global agreement was urgently required even as the technology race between Beijing and Washington showed no signs of slowing down. His comments come just days after US President Donald Trump launched an ambitious low-regulation policy aimed at solidifying the country's dominance in the rapidly evolving area, vowing to 'remove red tape and onerous regulation' that may stymie private sector AI development. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Opening the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Saturday, Li emphasised the importance of governance and open-source development, announcing the formation of a Chinese-led body for international AI cooperation. 'The risks and challenges brought by artificial intelligence have drawn widespread attention… How to find a balance between development and security urgently requires further consensus from the entire society,' the premier said. He gave no further details about the newly announced organisation, though state media later reported 'the preliminary consideration' was that it would be headquartered in Shanghai. The organisation would 'promote global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits', state news agency Xinhua reported, without elaborating on its set-up or mechanisms. At a time when AI is being integrated across virtually all industries, its uses have raised major questions, including about the spread of misinformation, its impact on employment and the potential loss of technological control. In a speech at WAIC on Saturday, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Geoffrey Hinton compared the situation to keeping 'a very cute tiger cub as a pet'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To survive, he said, you need to ensure you can train it not to kill you when it grows up. Pledge to share AI advances The enormous strides AI technology has made in recent years have seen it move to the forefront of the US-China rivalry. Premier Li said China would 'actively promote' the development of open-source AI, adding Beijing was willing to share advances with other countries, particularly developing ones. 'If we engage in technological monopolies, controls and blockage, artificial intelligence will become the preserve of a few countries and a few enterprises,' he said. Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu warned against 'unilateralism and protectionism' at a later meeting. Washington has expanded its efforts in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that they can be used to advance Beijing's military systems and erode US tech dominance. Li, in his speech, highlighted 'insufficient supply of computing power and chips' as a bottleneck to AI progress. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China has made AI a pillar of its plans for technological self-reliance, with the government pledging a raft of measures to boost the sector. In January, Chinese startup DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that performed as well as top US systems despite using less powerful chips. 'Defining test' In a video message played at the WAIC opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said AI governance would be 'a defining test of international cooperation'. The ceremony saw the French president's AI envoy, Anne Bouverot, underscore 'an urgent need' for global action and for the United Nations to play a 'leading role'. Bouverot called for a framework 'that is open, transparent and effective, giving each and everyone an opportunity to have their views taken into account'. Li's speech 'posed a clear contrast to the Trump administration's 'America First' view on AI' and the US measures announced this week, said WAIC attendee George Chen, a partner at Washington-based policy consultancy The Asia Group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The world is now clearly divided into at least three camps: the United States and its allies, China (and perhaps many Belt and Road or Global South countries), and the EU – which prefers regulating AI through legislation, like the EU AI Act,' Chen told AFP. At an AI summit in Paris in February, 58 countries including China, France and India – as well as the European Union and African Union Commission – called for enhanced coordination on AI governance. But the United States warned against 'excessive regulation', and alongside the United Kingdom, refused to sign the summit's appeal for an 'open', 'inclusive' and 'ethical' AI.
