News Analysis India

Tag: UDF

  • Alappuzha: LS Polls 2024: KC Venugopal ups stakes to wrest CPM seat, says Pinarayi Vijayan speaks Modi lingo

    As one enters Alappuzha, the citadel of the Communists in Kerala and the land of the historic Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and the martyrs column, huge hoardings of KC Venugopal, the influential AICC general secretary (organisation) and a close associate of Rahul Gandhi, are all over. Venugopal is fighting to wrest the CPM seat, the only Lok Sabha constituency that stood by the Left in 2019 when the Congress-led UDF swept 19 of the 20 seats from the state. If that explains the Left’s political resilience here, Venugopal’s entry has upped the stakes for both sides.”This is an election to save Indian democracy and to save our Constitution,” Venugopal said when ET caught up with him at Aryad on the outskirts of the town. “The Congress is leading that fight, along with the INDIA alliance parties, against the Modi government. Every single seat, every single vote counts. I am sure the people of Alappuzha will stand by the Congress in this historic battle”.Venugopal has trained expertise in taking the fight to the Left strongholds; he cut his teeth in the Congress student’s wing in his birthplace of Payyanur in Kannur, another Communist base. As he progressed to the party leadership, the Congress politically relocated Venugopal to Alappuzha where he won three consecutive assembly polls from 1996 and two Lok Sabha polls in 2009 and 2014. CPM reclaimed the seat in 2019 — when Venugopal took a break from electoral contest due to organisational preoccupation with the leadership placing him in the RS from Rajasthan. Venugopal is now back for the retrieval act. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesAs Venugopal reached a street corner meeting venue, an enthusiastic crowd greeted him. “If anyone examines the political life of a Congress worker called KC Venugopal, he will find its foundation was laid when the people of Alappuzha elected me as their MLA way back in 1996. You have made me MLA and MP many times. Whatever I am today, all credit goes to you people. As my party has sent me here to fight this all-important election, I once again place my politics and my future in your hands,” Venugopal tells the responsive crowd.

    He is pitted against a local CPM leader and sitting MP AM Arif, who won the seat in 2019 by a slender margin of 10,474 votes, and senior BJP leader Shobha Surendran, who has a track-record of lifting the BJP vote percentage wherever she contested, albeit losing the elections. But whose vote, in addition to that of the BJP here, she will cut into this time is keeping both Congress and the Left sides guessing.

    As Venugopal moved forward through the crowds, he told ET about his twin concerns and his twin targets. “Can you imagine the way the PM is speaking at his rallies these days? Such blatant communal talk! Shocking. The PM has become desperate after the first phase of election. And here in Kerala, look at the way the CM (and CPI-M leader) Pinarayi Vijayan is speaking, the way he has targeted Rahul Ji. Modi and Pinarayi speak the same language in this election”. CPM’s sitting MP, Arif, 59, told ET that he is fighting to retain his party’s Lok Sabha seat. “I have placed before the people the details of the development works I have done, including the steps to modernise and beautify Alappuzha as a throbbing tourism destination.”

  • Congress: Congress declines support offered by PFI arm SDPI

    The Congress and the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala on Thursday declined the electoral support extended three days earlier by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

    The Congress publicly spurned the offer of support after it came under fire from both the BJP and the Left for allegedly seeking support from the party sponsored by the proscribed PFI.

    “The Congress and the UDF oppose communalism, be it by the majority or minority communities, alike. We will not accept the support of such organisations. This is our view about the support extended by SDPI to UDF also,” VD Satheesan, leader of the opposition in Kerala, said hours after the top Left and BJP leaders intensified their attacks on the Congress over the matter. Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan sharpened the criticism of the Left on Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad contest. He said the Congress, fearing a BJP attack, hid its own flags in order to make ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) not to display its green flags at Gandhi’s roadshow in Wayanad on Wednesday.

  • With Development Work And ‘Ram Jyoti’ Appeal, PM Modi Tries To Strike A Chord With ‘Unfavourable’ Kerala Voters |

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed a gathering in Kerala’s Kochi where he lauded the people of the state for celebrating ‘Ramayan Masam’ and urged people to light ‘Ram Jyoti’ on January 22. “Shri Rama Jyoti should be lit in all houses and temples during the Dhanya Muhurta of Prana Pratishtha in Ayodhya. This message should be conveyed to all,” urged PM Modi to the people. He also asked party workers to focus on their booth saying that every booth is important. PM Modi urged the party workers to conduct contact activities with people and made them aware of the BJP government’s scheme. He also asked all Shaktikendra workers to use the Namo application to get accurate awareness of central schemes. 

    Kerala, once a Congress stronghold, has shifted towards the Left for the last 10 years. The BJP is focussing on ‘development, welfare, and security’ issues to woo the voters. The BJP is already making ground among voters with PM Modi’s roadshows and events. PM Modi recently led a roadshow and a women’s rally in Thrissur on January 3. He also addressed the Nari Shakthi (Women’s Power) conference which was attended by thousands of women.

    Focus On Key Lok Sabha Seats

    The Kerala BJP is focussing on key Lok Sabah seats where its vote share has increased over time. Over the past three Lok Sabha elections of Thiruvananthapuram, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demonstrated its growing strength as a formidable contender. In the 2009 election, the BJP’s candidate PK Krishna Das secured a notable vote share of 11.40 per cent. Subsequently, in 2014, O Rajagopal significantly increased the party’s influence, garnering 32.32 per cent of the votes. Although there was a slight dip in electoral support in 2019, with Kummanam Rajasekharan achieving a vote share of 31.30 per cent, the BJP continued to establish itself as a robust opponent in the region.

    The Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat, which saw agitations related to the Sabarimala temple, is again the focus of the BJP. The party’s vote share in this seat had increased from 7.06 per cent in 2009 to 15.95 per cent in 2014 and to 28.97 per cent in 2019. The BJP is also focussing on the Thrissur and Attingal seats.

    BJP Customising Its Kerala Strategy

    The BJP is customising itself in the state which has a significant number of Christian voters. Shifting away from the traditional strategy of catering primarily to the Hindu community, the BJP is now focusing on the electoral potential within the Christian population in Kerala. The state presents a complex religious demographic scenario, posing a unique challenge for the BJP in its electoral endeavours. Among the 33.4 million inhabitants in Kerala, Christians constitute approximately 18 per cent of the population, while Muslims make up 26 per cent.

    Since the Muslim community in the state largely votes for either Congress or the Left, the BJP is looking to woo Christian voters who are not adverse to the party. Modi’s decision to visit Sacred Heart’s College went beyond merely trying to shape the perspectives of young individuals. It also aimed to portray the BJP as an inclusive party that embraces Christians and genuinely seeks the welfare of the community.

    The BJP’s endeavours to establish a foothold in Kerala politics are showing tangible outcomes, as reflected in the increasing votes and endorsement from influential church figures. Another noteworthy development is the resignation of Johnny Nellore, the vice-chairman of the Kerala Congress, who has declared the formation of a new political party with backing from the Church, purportedly supported by the BJP. Also, by visiting the popular temples, PM Modi has maintained his devotion towards the religion. This will also help woo the Hindu voters. Thus, if the BJP manages to carve out a space for itself among the Hindu and Christian voters, its path will become easier. 

    Development Plank

    PM Modi is presenting the BJP as a party known for carrying out development work. The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express and India’s first Water Metro Service in Kochi is part of a strategic plan. Even today, when the Prime Minister visited Kerala, he inaugurated projects worth over Rs 4000 crore in Kerala’s Kochi. The three major infrastructure projects inaugurated by the Prime Minister included the New Dry Dock (NDD) at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL); the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of CSL; and the LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited at Puthuvypeen, Kochi.

    Highlighting the new infrastructure initiatives inaugurated today, the Prime Minister said the Central Government is working to increase the capacity of coastal cities like Kochi. He further asserted that Kochi is set to be the next ship-building hub of the nation. This will send a signal to the youth of the state that they will get better opportunities within the state instead of migrating to other places.

  • Supreme Court takes strict view on unruly behaviour of lawmakers in parliament & assemblies

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it has to take a “strict” view of unruly behaviour of lawmakers in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies as such incidents are “increasing now-a-days” and this sort of conduct cannot be condoned.

    The apex court, which was hearing pleas relating to a criminal case lodged in connection with ruckus inside Kerala Assembly in 2015 during the previous Congress-led UDF rule, said it must be ensured that decorum is maintained in the House.

    “Prima facie, we have to take a very strict view on this kind of behaviour. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable” a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said while referring to the incident in Kerala Assembly.

    “We must ensure that some decorum is maintained. These are sentinels of democracy,” the bench said, adding, “Such type of incidents are increasing now a days. In the parliament also, it is happening and one has to be strict on this.”

    One of the pleas was filed by the Kerala government which has challenged the March 12 order of the high court dismissing its petition seeking withdrawal of a criminal case registered in connection with the ruckus inside the state Assembly in 2015.

    The state assembly had witnessed unprecedented scenes on March 13, 2015 as LDF members, then in opposition, tried to prevent then finance minister KM Mani, who was facing allegations in the bar bribery scam, from presenting the state budget.

    Besides flinging the speaker’s chair from the podium, electronic equipment like computers, keyboards and mikes on the desk of the presiding officer were also allegedly damaged by the LDF members. The case, which also involves V Sivankutty who is a minister in the state, was registered against a group of then LDF MLAs and others.

    During the hearing conducted on Monday through video-conferencing, the apex court referred to the incident in the Kerala Assembly and observed that the MLAs had obstructed presentation of finance budget and such behaviour cannot be accepted.

    “We will not condone this kind of behaviour of MLAs who, on the floor of the house, throw mikes and destroys public property. They were MLAs and they were representing people. What message are they giving to the public,” said the bench, which posted the matter for hearing on July 15.

    One has to take strict view on such conduct otherwise there would be no deterrence to this kind of behaviour, it said, adding that those involved in such behaviour should face trial under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

    “This kind of behaviour cannot be condoned,” it said, adding, “What is the larger public interest in shielding an MLA who was obstructing presentation of finance budget in the House.”

    When one of the counsel said the MLAs were protesting against the then finance minister against whom there were corruption allegations, the bench said irrespective of that, “presentation of finance budget is of utmost importance”.

    On the issue of application under section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which deals with withdrawal from prosecution, the bench observed that it is the prerogative of the public prosecutor.

    In its plea filed in the apex court, the Kerala government has claimed that high court had failed to appreciate that the alleged incident had occurred while the Assembly was in session and no crime could have been registered “without previous sanction” of the speaker.

    “The FIR registered by the secretary Legislative Assembly without the consent of the speaker is wrong and therefore, the application filed under section 321 CrPC is liable to be allowed,” said the plea filed by the state.

    The plea has sought a stay on the March 12 order of the high court and also on further proceedings in the case, which is pending before a trial court.

    It has said because the act of accused persons being in relation to their function to protest as members of the legislative assembly, the MLAs, who are accused in the FIR, were entitled to get protection under the Constitution.

    It said that Article 105(3), 194(3) of the Constitution of India confers certain privileges and immunities to the members of Parliament and state legislature and therefore, it was not proper for the secretary of the Legislative Assembly to file cases against MLAs with regard to an incident which happened on the floor of House during the protest made by opposition members, that too, without the consent of the speaker.

    “The allegation in the present case has admittedly happened during the budget session of the Legislature as a part of the protest by opposition members of Legislative Assembly against the budget presentation by the then finance minister due to the then prevailing political reasons,” it said.

    The state government had moved the high court against an order of the trial court which had dismissed an application filed by the public prosecutor seeking permission to withdraw from prosecution against the accused in the case.

    In its plea filed in the top court, the state has said there was no evidence to show that the application submitted by the public prosecutor was “not in good faith”.

    The case was registered for the alleged offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 447 (criminal trespass), and under the provision of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

  • Kerala polls: Chacko joins NCP, pitches for Pawar’s leadership to raise Opposition unity

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Former Kerala Congress leader PC Chacko joined the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday.  

    “I am formally joining NCP today,” he said. The 74-year-old is a former Member of Parliament from Kerala’s Thrissur constituency.

    He headed the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G Spectrum during the UPA government (2009-2014).

    On March 10, he announced his decision to quit Congress over the alleged undemocratic way of selecting candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Kerala which is scheduled for April 6.

    Earlier on Tuesday, he said that he would be meeting Sharad Pawar and a few other leaders.

    “Whatever crisis the party is facing, it needs to be discussed. I’m also meeting Sitaram Yechury and Ghulam Nabi Azad to discuss future course of action. I need to extend my support to the LDF (Left Democratic Front of Kerala). I’ll decide (on joining) after meeting Pawar sahib,” he said while talking to media on Tuesday.

    The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala is looking to replace the Communist-led Left Democratic Front government of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

    The state, which has never given a second consecutive term to the incumbent chief minister or alliance till now, could throw up a surprise this time.

    Chacko was welcomed into the NCP fold by Pawar, senior NCP leaders Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Sunil Tatkare and others.

    Chacko recalled his association with Pawar when both of them were in the Congress.

    Prior to Chacko joining the NCP, Pawar met CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

    After formally joining the NCP, Chacko said the LDF will return to power in Kerala.

    The NCP is a constituent in the LDF in Kerala. Chacko said he will start campaigning for the LDF in a few days. 

    Announcing his resignation from the Congress last week, Chacko had alleged group interest in deciding the party’s candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls.

    Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi represents the Wayanad constituency in Kerala in the Lok Sabha.

    “What is needed is unity of the opposition. A united opposition should emerge as an alternative to the BJP. I do not see that initiative very much from the party that I was in earlier. I am sure that Pawar sahib, his leadership and contacts will be effective in forging the unity of the opposition,” said Chacko.

    (With PTI Inputs)