Latest news with #Satheesan
Time of India
3 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Maradu muncicipality hands over flat keys to housing scheme beneficiaries
Kochi: Keys of Mahatma Ayyankali Housing Complex, constructed for scheduled caste (SC) families without land or housing within Maradu municipality, were officially handed over by opposition leader V D Satheesan on Thursday. The complex, with an area of 6,856 sq ft, consists of eight flats — each with a living room, kitchen, balcony and two bedrooms with attached bathrooms — providing modern housing facilities for beneficiary families. Located in division 30 of the municipality, 20 cents was purchased for the project in 2015-16 spending Rs 87.88 lakh. Total construction cost amounted to Rs 2.68 crore. The function, chaired by municipal chairman Antony Ashanparambil, was attended by Hibi Eden, MP, K Babu, MLA, as well as municipality councillors. In his inaugural address, Satheesan said Maradu municipality set a model for other local bodies through such exemplary development initiatives. He added that completion of projects focusing on holistic development of SC communities offers inspiration for planning similar projects in his constituency as well. Marking the occasion, which coincided with World Environment Day, Satheesan also planted a fruit-tree sapling on the housing complex premises.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bypoll turns into a war of words
Kozhikode: Nilambur bypoll campaign has turned into a war of words as opponents are using the remarks of senior leaders, including CM Pinarayi Vijayan and AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, to attack each other. While UDF is using the CM's 'anti-Malappuram' remark from a media interview about gold smuggling and anti-national funding, LDF is hitting back by targeting Venugopal for comparing welfare pension payments to bribery before the elections. Venugopal first raked up the CM's Malappuram remarks during UDF's convention on Monday. Then opposition leader VD Satheesan and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph picked it up and accused CPM of having a prejudiced view about Malappuram. Satheesan stepped up the attack on Wednesday by saying it was Vijayan who made serious allegations against Malappuram. "The CM's PR team sent notes to all Delhi-based media claiming that Malappuram was a hub for gold smuggling and extremism. After that, he gave a newspaper interview that echoed Sangh Parivar's line. The CM and Sangh Parivar are walking the same path," he said. Satheesan also said that CPM politburo member A Vijayaraghavan, who came to lead LDF's campaign in Nilambur, had insulted Malappuram many times. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Amplie seus horizontes: Estude no exterior (Clique para mais informações) Study Abroad Saiba Mais Undo "Does he still stand by his earlier statement that Priyanka Gandhi won because communal forces voted for her? Are the 95,000 people who voted for Priyanka in Nilambur all extremists? This question needs a clear answer," he added. LDF candidate M Swaraj hit back saying Congress was bringing up the Malappuram issue out of guilt over its past opposition to the district's formation when it had aligned with Jan Sangh. Meanwhile, LDF objected to Venugopal's comment that LDF govt was using welfare pension disbursements, including dues, as a 'bribe' ahead of bypoll. FM KN Balagopal said the remark insulted 62 lakh pensioners in Kerala by implying they vote for money and demanded an immediate retraction. Swaraj also responded, saying welfare pensions are a rightful benefit and calling them bribes insults the state's poor. Venugopal clarified that during the last Parliament elections, state govt paid two of the six or seven pending pension instalments before polls. "I only asked if they see the disbursement of dues ahead of elections that way. Twisting it into a bribery allegation is a deliberate misrepresentation," he said. Satheesan also said those who withheld pensions for six months are now releasing them just before elections and that is the wrong practice Venugopal pointed out. "We will speak out against the govt's attempts to exploit people's misery," he said. Satheesan said he is taking full responsibility for UDF's official stand in Nilambur. "The fight is between UDF and LDF and no one should try to distract voters from that. Not a single UDF vote will go elsewhere. Political and anti-govt votes will go to UDF. Even BJP is not serious about the contest. When the fight is between UDF and LDF, who else will get the anti-government votes? Nilambur voters are politically aware. Our majority will make that clear," he said.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- General
- India Gazette
"It is semi-final leading up to 2026 Assembly elections": Congress' Satheesan on Nilambur by-election
Nilambur (Kerala) [India], June 3 (ANI): Stressing that the Nilambur by-election is the semi-final before the 2026 Assembly polls, Kerala LoP and Congress MLA VD Satheesan said on Tuesday that they will emerge victorious, which will mark the beginning of the United Democratic Front's (UDF) return to the state. Speaking to ANI, Satheesan said, 'This is a political contest, a direct fight between the UDF and the LDF. It is the semi-final leading up to the 2026 Assembly elections, and we are confident of winning by a significant margin. We see this as an opportunity to hold the Pinarayi government accountable, a government that has been in power for the past nine years.' 'Our role is to advocate for the people, we are their voice, cross-examining the government and the Chief Minister. We will emerge victorious, and this will mark the beginning of the UDF's strong return in the 2026 elections,' Satheesan asserted. The Nilambur by-polls are scheduled to be held on June 19, and the counting is scheduled for June 23. The election for the Nilambur seat was necessitated after the resignation of PV Anvar, an LDF-backed MLA, who stepped down in January after making several allegations against the Left government in the state, including claims of RSS influence in the home department and the 'framing' of Muslim youth in false cases. Anvar had claimed that he would not be contesting the bypolls, supporting the Congress candidate instead. However, he filed his nomination under the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) banner on Monday. Anvar has been the Nilambur MLA since 2016, backed by the LDF in both the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Michael George also filed his nomination for the Nilambur by-election on Monday. The main contest in the constituency is between United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Aryadan Shoukath and the LDF's M Swaraj. The byelection has political significance as it is a precursor to next year's state assembly election and will test the popularity of the current government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. (ANI)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Anvar forms new front, targets Satheesan & Riyas
Kozhikode: Former Left-backed independent MLA PV Anvar filed his nomination papers on Monday and announced a new political front in Kerala called Janakeeya Prathipaksha Prathiroda Munnani (JPPM). He also continued his criticism of opposition leader VD Satheesan and PWD minister PA Mohammed Riyas. Anvar said he decided to contest because Satheesan, who was expected to support his fight against 'Pinrayism', tried to suppress it instead. He claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party and several groups, including farmers, labourers, and traders, would back JPPM. Anvar called Satheesan the 'personification of arrogance' and claimed that he kept winning from Paravoor only because the CPI put up weak candidates against him. He also made new allegations against PWD minister Riyas, accusing him of collecting crores from contractors to fund the state govt's outreach programme Nava Kerala Sabha. Anvar accused UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath, Satheesan and Riyas of running a smear campaign against him. He warned that if they didn't stop, he would hit back the same way. "I'll set up a TV screen in Nilambur and expose their wrongdoings with evidence. They won't be able to face it," he said. Speaking at a roadshow, Anvar said he was forced to contest the bypoll because Satheesan had teamed up with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to push him out of politics. He began his campaign by visiting the home of former DCC president VV Prakash, his opponent in the 2021 assembly elections. The visit was seen as a move to stir discontent in the Congress, as many still blame Shoukath for Prakash's narrow defeat. However, Prakash's wife said she would stand firmly with the Congress. "Prakash took his last journey wrapped in the party's tricolour. I will stay with the party till the very end," she said.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
P.V. Anvar, Trinamool Congress' Kerala coordinator, announces new political front
Seemingly piqued by the Congress' rejection of his attempt to find an accommodation in the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) State coordinator P.V. Anvar has announced the formation of a new political front in Kerala. Mr. Anvar said in Malappuram on Monday (June 2, 2025) that he has named the new alliance Janakiya Prathipaksha Prathirodha Munnani' (JPPM). He claimed that the Aam Admi Party (AAP) would join the coalition. Notably, AAP workers wearing Nehru caps and sporting the party's flag flocked in front of the Nilambur taluk office, anticipating Mr. Anvar's arrival to file his nomination papers. AAP State president Vinod Mathew Wilson told a television news channel that the party's national leadership would soon take a call. 'A people's alternative' Mr. Anvar characterised the new alliance as 'a people's alternative to Kerala's Congress-Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] revolving door politics'. He said the JPPM would also emerge as a bulwark of secularism against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) brand of 'majoritarian identity politics.' It would champion the cause of settlerfarmers, autorickshaw drivers, rubber tappers, fishers and the working class, he said. Mr. Anvar said the JPPM would give political expression to people and groups frustrated with the established alliances in Kerala. He said disgruntled allies, mostly small parties in the ruling front and the Opposition, would soon declare their allegiance for the JPPM. Slams Satheesan Mr. Anvar accused Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan of conspiring with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to deny the AITMC political space in Kerala. He alleged that Mr. Satheesan repeatedly won in the Paravoor Assembly constituency against 'weak and lacklustre' candidates fielded by the Communist Party of India (CPI). Mr. Anvar alleged that Mr. Vijayan threatened Mr. Satheesan, stating that the CPI(M) would wrest the seat from the CPI and field a party candidate. He said Mr. Satheesan feared that a CPI(M) candidate would diminish his chances of retaining the Paravoor seat in the 2026 Assembly elections. 'Have compromising materials' Mr. Anvar hinted he would pursue a muckraking and sensationalist campaign in the Nilambur byelection. 'I will set up a television in Nilambur and broadcast the wrongdoings of the UDF candidate. I have compromising materials on certain leaders. I will make the proof publicly available. The JPPM campaign would tear the veneer of propriety of some public figures. I am collecting evidence on them', he added. Mr. Anvar said he would contest under the AITMC symbol. However, he said the party was not registered in Kerala. 'I might be constrained to use another symbol', he added.
