Thiruvananthapuram: Labour Minister and Revolutionary Socialist Party (Baby John) leader Shibu Baby John has run into trouble over his recent meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, with leaders of the Congress and its United Democratic Front (UDF) allies taking exception to it, holding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's development model is unacceptable to Kerala. With the issue becoming controversial, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday sought an explanation from John, though the latter held that he had only spoken on issues concerning skill development and training during his meeting with Modi.
"I have sought a clarification from John. But I would like to make it clear that the Gujarat model of development is not at all acceptable to Kerala," Chandy said. Joining the issue, CPI(M) veteran and Opposition Leader VS Achuthanandan said it was difficult to believe that John had met Modi without Chandy's knowledge.
Sources close to Achuthanandan also said the CPI(M) leader might stay away from a function next week at Sree Narayana Mutt at nearby Varkala, where Modi is chief guest. Though initially he sought to play down the row holding that the meeting had no political dimension, John later said he should have avoided it.
"I only sought to know Gujarat's model in skill development and training when I met Modi. This is part of my department. I first met the Labour Minister there (in Ahmedabad) and he suggested I meet Modi also, saying he has been in overall charge
03:46 PM, Apr 20, 2013
Congress candidate Mandira Roy on Thursday wrested the Algapur Assembly constituency defeating her nearest AIUDF rival Mehbubul Hassan by 991 votes in the by-poll. ...
06:23 PM, Feb 28, 2013
The Kerala Assembly was adjourned for the second time this week on Thursday over the Opposition's uproar following the Suryanelli rape controversy. The Opposition walked out of the assembly after allegations that women MLAs of the LDF were beaten up by the police. ...
11:02 AM, Feb 07, 2013
Political differences among parties should not prevent them from taking part in discussions on Bills and issues, Kerala assembly Speaker G Karthikeyan said on Wednesday hoping that the session commencing on Dec 10 will be productive. ...
02:33 PM, Dec 05, 2012
Palakkad: With Kerala state Congress leaders attacking each other on TV channels, Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday asked his party colleagues to develop political maturity. "Today many of my friends here, the moment they see mikes of TV channels they cut loose and make lots of statements. This does not augur with the Kerala style of political functioning," said Antony. Antony was speaking at a meeting here to...
09:32 AM, Nov 14, 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress is at war with itself in Kerala and at least one leader says this is affecting governance while another says he will continue to air their grievances against the party. There is even a suggestion that the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) could come apart if the infighting and faction-feuding continues. Not long ago, the tussle was between the factions led by the late K. Karunakaran and...
09:30 AM, Nov 08, 2012
Thiruvannthapuram: A decision on providing three subsidised LPG cylinders in addition to the six fixed by the Centre to all consumers in the state would be taken at the ruling UDF liaison committee meeting next week, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Thursday. The state cabinet on Thursday discussed the matter, but referred the issue to be discussed at the next UDF meeting to be held on October 17, he...
10:29 AM, Oct 12, 2012
Kanhangad: CPM on Tuesday alleged that the ruling Congress led UDF government was trying to destroy state funded Kudumbashree, the women's Self Help Group for poverty alleviation programme. Speaking after inaugurating a party office at Pollakkad near Kanhangad in Kasargod district, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that UDF was allergic' towards Kudumbasree from the time it assumed office and was continuing that attitude. By promoting pro-congress 'Janashree mission', government...
05:40 PM, Oct 09, 2012
Kozhikode: Political exploitation by certain organisations after dividing the society on the lines of religion and community is the biggest threat the nation is facing now, Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty has said. He was speaking at the remembrance meeting of IUML leaders Panakkad Syed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal and Syed Umar Bafaqi Thangal organised by the IUML district committee here on Sunday. Certain forces are always trying to create communal...
01:00 PM, Sep 24, 2012
Kochi: Even as there is an evident rift within the UDF and the government following the Emerging Kerala investors meet, the Opposition has failed to cash in on the opportunity. Though there were some hue and cry over the meet, none of the Opposition parties could come up with solid criticisms. Neither the Opposition parties nor the social groups could come up with a convincing and effective criticism against the...
01:13 PM, Sep 18, 2012
Kannur: In a rare development, the outcome of the Mattanur municipal poll was celebrated by both the LDF and the UDF on Wednesday. The LDF celebrated its victory with much jubilation for it could retain the control of the municipal administration although the number of seats held by it came down causing serious embarrassment to the leadership of the CPM in the district. At the same time, the UDF camp...
01:49 PM, Sep 06, 2012
Guwahati: Accusing the BJP and the AIUDF of making provocative statements, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday asked all political parties and outfits to refrain from calling bandhs as such actions were inflaming passions in violence-hit areas. "I am not happy about the way in which BJP and All India United Democratic Front (AIDUF) and some other outfits are conducting themselves. I appeal to them not to make any...
02:03 AM, Aug 29, 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: Thousands of CPI(M) workers in Kerala on Wednesday laid siege to the government secretariat during a protest that forced Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to reach his office around 5 AM, hours before a Cabinet meeting. In an unusual spectacle at dawn in a state that is too used to bandhs and protests, Chandy and four ministers had to turn up at their offices an hour before the CPI(M) siege...
02:42 PM, Aug 22, 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: Oommen Chandy vs Ramesh Chennithala; V.S. Achuthanandan vs Pinayari Vijayan. The more things change, the more they remain the same in Kerala politics, with an uneasy calm in place as traditional rivalries continue within the two main groupings, United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF). For the last three decades and more, the political pendulum has swung between the Congress-led UDF - which is ruling right now...
08:01 PM, Aug 17, 2012
Mumbai: Even as thousands of people from the Northeast continued to flee Karnataka, there were similar concerns in Maharashtra as well. At Mumbai's Kurla Terminus, hundreds of people from the Northeast were seen heading home, despite Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan's assurances that full security will be provided to them. Meanwhile, the state Home Minister RR Patil is expected to meet Pune police officials to discuss security arrangements there. Panic hit...
08:12 AM, Aug 17, 2012
Palakkad: The Nelliampathy hills spread over 82 square km of the Chittur taluk and 1,500 m above sea-level have become a political hot potato for the UDF with the intervention of Rahul Gandhi. The genesis of the present political crises was the termination of the lease agreement of the 250 acre Cherunelli estate by the Forest Department and the Government Chief Whip P C George of the Kerala Congress (M)...
12:18 PM, Aug 10, 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: Last week the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) launched a fresh push to recover Rs 1,300 crore in power bill arrears, but data show that the past one year has only made the KSEBs job tougher. Power bill arrears shot up by more than Rs 90 crore during UDFs first year compared to a steady drop during the previous five years when the Left held the reins in the...
12:43 PM, Aug 09, 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: Coming down heavily on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the UDF Government, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday alleged that the police were acting according to a script. The police had decided to make Jayarajan an accused in the murder case even before interrogating him. He said that the attack on P Jayarajan and T V Rajesh by Muslim League workers was also heinous. When the CPM leaders...
12:31 PM, Aug 02, 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: The Opposition LDF on Monday boycotted an all-party meeting on Emerging Kerala, an investment meet to be held in Kochi, convened by the State Government here. Explaining the Opposition stand against the Emerging Kerala, Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan said in a statement here that the same Chief Minister and the same Industries Minister had organised GIM (Global Investors Meet) during the previous UDF Governments time but it failed...
12:20 PM, Jul 31, 2012
Kochi: UDF MLA R Selvaraj on Sunday said that as many as four MLAs of the CPM are ready to quit the party and join the UDF. Selvaraj, a former CPM MLA, said that the four MLAs include those who are holding key leadership positions in the CPM. Speaking to reporters here, Selvaraj, who declined to disclose the names of the four, said that he would extend all support to...
12:25 PM, Jul 16, 2012
