Thursday, March 22, 2012

CPI state secretary CK Chandrappan passes away

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI stalwart C K Chandrappan, a dominant figure of Indian mainstream Left or the last several decades and former Lok Sabha member, died in a private hospital here today, party sources said. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer for the last few months and was admitted to hospital two days back after he suffered an infection.

CPI's Kerala state secretary, Chandrappan (77) is survived by wife Bulu Roychoudhury, who was with him when the end came. Chandrappan was elected to Lok Sabha from Thalassery in 1971, Kannur in 1977 and from Thrissur in 2004. He was also elected to Kerala Assembly twice from hometown Cherthala. Hailing from the Communist fortress Vayalar in Alappuzha district,he was born on November 10, 1936 as son of Ammukutty Amma and C K Kumara Panicker, the legendary leader of the Vayalar uprising that shook the princely state Travancore on the eve of Independence.
Entering politics at a very young age as activist of the Communist Party's student wing AISF, he held all-India positions in the Communist youth and student outfits. As a youth leader, he participated in the struggle for liberation of Goa from Portuguese hold. Ideologically, Chandrappan was known as a follower of late leader S A Dange, who famously propounded the line of Congress-Communist strategic alliance. However, he remained with the parent party when some of Dange's followers left
the party in late 1970s.

He became the party's Kerala state Secretary last year and was re-elected for a three year term to the post last month. Suave, softspoken and studious, Chandrappan made a deep impression as a serious debater in Parliament and assembly as he was well versed in a wide range of international and national issues. PTI

Credits M/E

Anoop Jacob sworn in as MLA

Thiruvananthapuram: Anoop Jacob, who was elected to Kerala assembly from Piravom as UDF candidate, took oath as member of the House today.

In the bypoll necessitated following the death of his father T M Jacob, Anoop retained the seat for Kerala Congress
(Jacob) with an impressive margin of 12,070 votes over his CPI-M rival M J Jacob when the votes were counted yesterday.

Anoop is expected to be inducted in the Oommen Chandy cabinet as he is the lone member of KC-J, a constituent of the
ruling Congress-led UDF.

Anoop, 34, a first-time MLA, took oath before the start of the zero hour in the House. Before taking oath, he sought the
blessings of leaders in the front row including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan.

The state committee of the UDF would decide on the date of his induction in the cabinet and also the portfolio. His
father was holding Food and Civil Supplies portfolio at the time of his death in last October. PTI

CPI-M behind newspaper agents' strike: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: The ongoing strike by a section of agents affiliated to the CITU which had disrupted distribution of newspapers in some parts of Kerala is the handiwork of CPI-M which is using `coercive' methods to threaten dailies which did not toe their line,Public Relations Minister K C Joseph has said.

In a statement here, Joseph said the strike imposed by CPI-M's trade union outfit disrupting newsaper distribution
was a threat to freedom of the press.

He said the CITU should make it clear why they exempted party-owned newspapers from the stir.

'The strike is a direct attack on freedom of expression and free journalitic activities. Social and cultural leaders
should come out in protest against the unwarranted strike,' Joseph said in the statement.

A section of newspaper agents in the state have been on strike for the last few days demanding increase in commission,
resulting in disruption of distribution of mainstream papers in some areas. PTI

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Thumping Victory for UDF - Anoop Wins with margin over 10000

The Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) Anup Jacob won the Piravom assembly by-election in Kerala Wednesday.

Anup Jacob, 34, son of former minister T.M. Jacob, won with a margin of 12,070 votes, defeating his father's old rival, M.J. Jacob of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). While Anoop Jacob (Kerala Congress-Jacob), a constituent
of the UDF, garnered 82,756 votes, LDF'S M J Jacob got 70,686 votes. BJP's K R Rajagopal polled 3241 votes.

It took only 2 hours for the counting process to get over. Counting which began at 8 am was over well before 10 am.Counting first began at the Tiruvankulam and Chottanikara panchayats.

Postal votes was taken up first and LDF candidate M J Jacob took a initial lead. After that Chottanikara and Thiruvankulam panchayat votes were taken up where M J Jacob took a initial lead of 200 votes.

But LDF camp expected a lead of more than 2000 votes from these two panchayaths but secured a lead of only 200 votes. With this lead the LDF camp lost expectations. Later UDF gained clear leads in every panchayat. Anoop who secured lead after the counting of Mulathuruthy panchayath, gradually increased his lead. After the counting was completed in Ambaloor, the lead rose to 5000 and shot up after the counting of Piravom and Thirumaradi. His lead crossed 10,000 after the counting in Elanji panchayat and he bagged a lead of 12,070 votes.

The counting began at 8 am at the Nirmala Juniors school, Muvattupuzha. The results are expected after 10 rounds of
counting.

Over 400 police personnel have been deployed for security.

A record polling of 86.3 per cent was registered in the constiutency this time.

Anoop Jacob is the UDF candidate and his LDF rival M J Jacob.

The bypoll was necessecitated following the death of former minister, T M Jacob, father of Anoop Jacob.

With the death of T M Jacob, the UDF strength in the 140 member Assembly had gone down to 71, while in the LDF camp,
the recent resignation of Neyyatinkara MLA, Selvraj has reduced its strength to 67.

T M Jacob had won by a slender margin of 157 votes in 2011 assembly polls.

Kochi: In a boost to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the ruling Congress-led UDF in Kerala Wednesday retained the Piravom assembly seat with its candidate Anoop Jacob winning by a margin of 12,070 votes.

While Anoop Jacob (Kerala Congress-Jacob), a constituent of the UDF, garnered 82,756 votes, LDF'S M J Jacob got 70,686 votes. BJP's K R Rajagopal polled 3241 votes.

There were nine candidates in the fray in the March 17 bypoll, whose outcome today has given a boost to Chandy, who is running the government with a wafer thin margin.

Both the UDF and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) had launched a stiff fight in the constituency, represented by Anoop's father and former minister T M Jacob. His death necessiated the bypoll.

A record polling of 86.3 per cent was registered in the constituency this time.

The battle was crucial for both the fronts as UDF's stregth had been reduced to 71 in the 140 member assembly with the death of T M Jacob, while LDF's strength had come down to 67 with the recent resignation of Neyyatinkara Selvaraj of CPM from the assembly that led to his expulsion from the party later.

The UDF camp is upbeat as the victory was by a margin of over 12,000 votes as T M Jacob had won by a slender margin of 157 votes in 2011 assembly polls.

The UDF had accepted the challenge of the LDF that the poll outcome would be a referendum on the nine-month-old Oommen Chandy led government's performance

Monday, March 12, 2012

Jagathy's condition stable, remains on ventilato

Kozhikode: The condition of Malayalam film actor Jagathy Sreekumar, who was admitted to a hospital here after he met with a road accident, is stable, doctors attending on him said today.

The condition of the actor, who underwent an emergency surgery after the accident on March 10, 'is stable at present', Dr Abdullah Cheriakkat, Managing Director, Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment, told reporters here today.

The 61-year actor, who suffered multiple injuries in chest, abdomen and leg, was responding to medicines well and his blood pressure and functioning of kidneys are normal. However, he will continue to remain in ventilator for a couple of days
more, he said.

He said surgeries for correction of right thigh and right arm fractures would be done 'most probably' tomorrow depending on his condition.

Sreekumar,who has acted in over 1,000 films doing a variety of roles, largely as a comedian, met with the accident on his way to Kodagu in Karnataka for the shooting of a new movie when his car rammed into the road median and overturned at
nearby Tenhippalam in wee hours on March 10.

Works on about 10 projects in which Sreekumar figures are held up in view of the accident, sources in film industry said. PTI

Police withdraws case registered against women for offering Pongala

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen chandy said that police action of registering cases against women who had offered pongala in the Attukal temple was without the knowledge of the Government and the case has been withdrawn .The DGP has been asked to give a detailed report regarding this matter, he said.

Police registered case against over 1000 women who offered Pongala during the Attukal Pongala ritual. The police registered a case as per the Kerala High Court verdict banning roadside meetings.

DGP Jacob Punnoose said though the policemen who registered case explained that the case was registered as a routine affair, he sought an explanation from them.

DGP said immediate explanation has been sought and action would be taken against the deputy police commissioner PC Mohanan who ordered to file a case. DGP said the pongala does not come under the purview of HC order. Various political leaders have expressed their protest on the issue.