Thiruvananthapuram : Huge crowds thronged the roads outside the hospital where four-time former chief minister K. Karunakaran died and along the route to his home as political leaders cutting across the divide acknowledged his tall stature.
The capital city came to a halt and traffic stopped when the ambulance carrying the body of Karunakaran, who passed away Thursday evening at 5.30 p.m., was taken from the Anathapuri hospital to his home near here.
A large police force found it difficult to control the surging crowds that had gathered at the hospital upon hearing of the demise of the 92-year-old veteran Congressman.
Tears rolled down the cheeks of many people. Senior Congress leaders found it difficult to come near the body of Karunakaran with his ordinary supporters jostling for space to have one last look of the departed leader.
Even Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who rushed to the hospital on hearing of the demise of his long time political adversary, had a tough time trying to come near the body.
'He was one who relentlessly worked for the development of the state and his attachment with the ordinary worker was something which was unique to him only,' said Achuthanandan.
Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy described Karunakaran as one who was a 'practical politician'.
'My relation with him dates 40 years back when I first arrived as a legislator in the assembly and he was the leader of party. Over the years through his hard work and determination he went on to be the senior most leader in our party. His greatest virtue as I see was his closeness with the ordinary supporter of the party and his loss is a great loss for the country,' said Chandy.
As the body reached his home in the city, the skies opened up. However, that did not deter the massive crowd of supporters who were waiting for the body to arrive.
Left Democratic Front convenor Vaikom Viswan, in his message, said that though he had differences of opinion with the departed leader, one aspect of Karunakaran that made him dear to even his adversaries was the way he used to behave with all.
'His behaviour was exemplary in nature and it was this character of his which won him accolades,' said Viswan.
K.M. Mani, who served in all of Karunakaran's four cabinets, said it was amazing to see him handle crises.
'Karunakaran's greatest ability was to come out unscathed from any crisis, and it was the thing that made him a great leader because in times of crisis he always appeared to be a man of great determination,' recalled Mani who heads the Kerala Congress (Mani).
R. Balakrishnan Pillai, a veteran Kerala politician who was close to Karunakaran and was in three of his cabinets, described him as a leader with a vision who used his Delhi connections for the development of the state.
'He was the one who virtually single handedly guided the Congress party when it went through bad times,' said Pillai.
The cremation will be held in his home town in Thrissur Saturday morning, president of the Congress' state unit Ramesh Chennithala told reporters outside the hospital where Karunakaran was admitted since Dec 10.
Friday has been declared a public holidy, and Saturday is a holiday on account of Christmas.
'The body would be taken to his home and Friday morning it would be taken to the Congress party office. From there it would be kept at the Durbar Hall at the State Secretariat and in the afternoon It would be taken through the national highway to Thrissur. The cremation would take place at the same place where his wife has been laid to rest,' a tearful Chennithala said.
The 92-year-old veteran leader's condition deteriorated last week and he was put on the ventilator.
He recovered a few days later and was removed from the ventilator, but his condition worsened Wednesday morning and he suffered a stroke. He breathed his last at 5.30 p.m. Thursday.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Kerala mourns as ’Leader’ departs, cremation Saturday
Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran, a four-time chief minister of Kerala who was a pale shadow of his original self in his final days, died here Thursday evening of old age and illness, enveloping the entire state in sorrow.
Despite rains, thousands poured on to the streets as the body of the 92-year-old was taken from the Ananthapuri Hospital, where he was admitted Dec 10, to his home less than 10 km away in a closed ambulance as news of his death spread rapidly.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi will visit Kerala Friday to pay homage to a man who once rubbed shoulders with Jawaharlal Nehru and was a confidant of Indira Gandhi, a closeness that made him Kerala's undisputed Congress leader. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will attend the cremation Saturday.
The Marxist-led Kerala government announced a public holiday Friday. The cremation will take place in his hometown Thrissur Christmas day Saturday, the event expected to draw a mass of people from all over Kerala.
Karunakaran's condition deteriorated last week and he was put on the ventilator. His condition improved in a few days but he suffered a stroke Wednesday. He died at 5.30 p.m. Thursday. He is survived by his politician son K. Muraleedharan and daughter Padmaja Venugopal.
As Congress leaders described his death as a huge loss to the party, Marxist Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan rushed to the hospital to salute a man he had politically opposed all his life.
"He was a leader who relentlessly worked for the development of Kerala, and his attachment to the ordinary worker was something that was unique to him," Achuthanandan said.
So thick was the rush of mourners that the chief minister had to struggle to enter the hospital. Later, as the body was taken to his home, the rains began to batter the city, drenching everyone.
K.M. Mani, who served in all his four cabinets, said it was amazing to see Karunakaran handle crisis moments.
"It was a thing that made him a great leader because at times of crisis he always appeared to be a man of great determination," said Mani, who heads the Kerala Congress (Mani).
On Friday, his body would be taken to the Congress office and kept at the Durbar Hall at the State Secretariat for people to pay homage.
Born in Kannur July 5, 1918, Karunakaran tasted his first electoral victory in in 1945 when he was elected to the Trissur Municipal Council on a Congress ticket.
He was elected to the Kerala assembly seven times consecutively from Mala in Trissur, from 1967 to 1991. He was a minister, leader of the opposition thrice, chief minister four times, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha thrice and twice respectively.
Karunakaran survived two serious road accidents in the 1990s, one of which needed treatment in the US.
But even as he built up the Congress in Kerala, making it a formidable opponent of the well-entrenched Communists, no party leader could rise in the state unless minus Karunakaran's blessings.
His main rival in the Congress was A.K. Antony, now the defence minister.
He groomed more than three dozen Congress leaders including the present state party president, Ramesh Chennithala.
His first major setback came when he had to resign as chief minister a month after taking charge following a judicial stricture over the death of a young man accused of being a Maoist, post-Emergency.
The disappearance of Rajan, the engineering college student, haunted Karunakaran for the rest of his life.
He had to quit as chief minister again in March 1995 when his name was linked to a police official in what was known as the "ISRO spy scandal".
Karunakaran was the industry minister in the cabinet of P.V. Narasimha Rao.
It was his undisguised love for his son Muraleedharan, who took to politics after failing in business and was elected to the Lok Sabha, that began to turn many Congress members against him.
As rival Antony grew in strength, in New Delhi and Kerala, Karunakaran made political mistakes.
To hurt Antony, he did the unthinkable and supported the Left in a Lok Sabha election. Then, he dramatically dumped the Congress and formed his own party in 2005, with the intention of crossing over to the Left.
That did not happen and he returned to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). He later merged his party with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a Left ally.
Finally, Karunakaran returned to the Congress. But his son refused to follow suit and, to his shock, renounced all ties with his father.
From then on, Karunakaran was a broken man. He occasionally visited the Congress office but was no more the giant of a leader that he was for four long decades.
Despite rains, thousands poured on to the streets as the body of the 92-year-old was taken from the Ananthapuri Hospital, where he was admitted Dec 10, to his home less than 10 km away in a closed ambulance as news of his death spread rapidly.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi will visit Kerala Friday to pay homage to a man who once rubbed shoulders with Jawaharlal Nehru and was a confidant of Indira Gandhi, a closeness that made him Kerala's undisputed Congress leader. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will attend the cremation Saturday.
The Marxist-led Kerala government announced a public holiday Friday. The cremation will take place in his hometown Thrissur Christmas day Saturday, the event expected to draw a mass of people from all over Kerala.
Karunakaran's condition deteriorated last week and he was put on the ventilator. His condition improved in a few days but he suffered a stroke Wednesday. He died at 5.30 p.m. Thursday. He is survived by his politician son K. Muraleedharan and daughter Padmaja Venugopal.
As Congress leaders described his death as a huge loss to the party, Marxist Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan rushed to the hospital to salute a man he had politically opposed all his life.
"He was a leader who relentlessly worked for the development of Kerala, and his attachment to the ordinary worker was something that was unique to him," Achuthanandan said.
So thick was the rush of mourners that the chief minister had to struggle to enter the hospital. Later, as the body was taken to his home, the rains began to batter the city, drenching everyone.
K.M. Mani, who served in all his four cabinets, said it was amazing to see Karunakaran handle crisis moments.
"It was a thing that made him a great leader because at times of crisis he always appeared to be a man of great determination," said Mani, who heads the Kerala Congress (Mani).
On Friday, his body would be taken to the Congress office and kept at the Durbar Hall at the State Secretariat for people to pay homage.
Born in Kannur July 5, 1918, Karunakaran tasted his first electoral victory in in 1945 when he was elected to the Trissur Municipal Council on a Congress ticket.
He was elected to the Kerala assembly seven times consecutively from Mala in Trissur, from 1967 to 1991. He was a minister, leader of the opposition thrice, chief minister four times, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha thrice and twice respectively.
Karunakaran survived two serious road accidents in the 1990s, one of which needed treatment in the US.
But even as he built up the Congress in Kerala, making it a formidable opponent of the well-entrenched Communists, no party leader could rise in the state unless minus Karunakaran's blessings.
His main rival in the Congress was A.K. Antony, now the defence minister.
He groomed more than three dozen Congress leaders including the present state party president, Ramesh Chennithala.
His first major setback came when he had to resign as chief minister a month after taking charge following a judicial stricture over the death of a young man accused of being a Maoist, post-Emergency.
The disappearance of Rajan, the engineering college student, haunted Karunakaran for the rest of his life.
He had to quit as chief minister again in March 1995 when his name was linked to a police official in what was known as the "ISRO spy scandal".
Karunakaran was the industry minister in the cabinet of P.V. Narasimha Rao.
It was his undisguised love for his son Muraleedharan, who took to politics after failing in business and was elected to the Lok Sabha, that began to turn many Congress members against him.
As rival Antony grew in strength, in New Delhi and Kerala, Karunakaran made political mistakes.
To hurt Antony, he did the unthinkable and supported the Left in a Lok Sabha election. Then, he dramatically dumped the Congress and formed his own party in 2005, with the intention of crossing over to the Left.
That did not happen and he returned to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). He later merged his party with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a Left ally.
Finally, Karunakaran returned to the Congress. But his son refused to follow suit and, to his shock, renounced all ties with his father.
From then on, Karunakaran was a broken man. He occasionally visited the Congress office but was no more the giant of a leader that he was for four long decades.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Left reduced to non-entity in Bihar
Nov 25, 2010
PATNA: Both the 2009 Lok Sabha polls as well as the just-concluded Bihar assembly election results have established that mass-base of Left parties CPI, CPM and CPI(M-L) have faired badly.
In Lok Sabha elections the Left bloc could not win even a single seat out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats whereas in assembly polls the Left could win only one seat.
In outgoing 14th Bihar assembly, the three Left parties had nine seats CPI (M-L) (five), CPI (three) and CPM (one). However, in the recent assembly polls the result of which was declared on Wednesday, the Left would be represented by a lone CPI member who was elected from Bachchwara in Begusarai district.
The CPI (M-L), which boasted of being the largest Left party in Bihar till the poll results came in, has now been reduced to a non-entity in state politics as it could not retain even one of its five seats.
The CPI, the oldest Left party of the state, failed to retain any of the three seats which it had won in the last elections Barauni (now known as Teghra), Harlakhi and Bakhri. It, however, succeeded in at least making its presence this time by winning Bachchwara seat. However, the other two relatively younger Left parties CPM and CPI (M-L) emerged really proletariat in terms of their strength in state legislature "nothing to lose but chains".
While CPM veteran Ram Dev Verma lost the Bhibhutipur seat in Samastipur district, the CPI lost the Teghra seat for the first time since 1956.
Left watchers here feel that the Left parties leadership has miserably failed to visualise changing political scenario in Bihar and could not chalk out a proper strategy to consolidate its position.
Like the in Lok Ssbha polls, the stubborn attitude of the CPI (M-L) state leadership led to its failure to unite the Left parties even in these elections. It led to "friendly fights" even between the Left candidates. The CPI
(M-L) had "friendly fight" with CPM in six seats and in 17 seats with the CPI. Such a friendly fights sent wrong signals even among the Left supporters.
It is now certain that the coming days will certainly prove to be a Herculean task for the Left to re-establish itself in state politics. The huge defeat in the assembly polls is bound to give the Left parties' leadership sleepless nights.
PATNA: Both the 2009 Lok Sabha polls as well as the just-concluded Bihar assembly election results have established that mass-base of Left parties CPI, CPM and CPI(M-L) have faired badly.
In Lok Sabha elections the Left bloc could not win even a single seat out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats whereas in assembly polls the Left could win only one seat.
In outgoing 14th Bihar assembly, the three Left parties had nine seats CPI (M-L) (five), CPI (three) and CPM (one). However, in the recent assembly polls the result of which was declared on Wednesday, the Left would be represented by a lone CPI member who was elected from Bachchwara in Begusarai district.
The CPI (M-L), which boasted of being the largest Left party in Bihar till the poll results came in, has now been reduced to a non-entity in state politics as it could not retain even one of its five seats.
The CPI, the oldest Left party of the state, failed to retain any of the three seats which it had won in the last elections Barauni (now known as Teghra), Harlakhi and Bakhri. It, however, succeeded in at least making its presence this time by winning Bachchwara seat. However, the other two relatively younger Left parties CPM and CPI (M-L) emerged really proletariat in terms of their strength in state legislature "nothing to lose but chains".
While CPM veteran Ram Dev Verma lost the Bhibhutipur seat in Samastipur district, the CPI lost the Teghra seat for the first time since 1956.
Left watchers here feel that the Left parties leadership has miserably failed to visualise changing political scenario in Bihar and could not chalk out a proper strategy to consolidate its position.
Like the in Lok Ssbha polls, the stubborn attitude of the CPI (M-L) state leadership led to its failure to unite the Left parties even in these elections. It led to "friendly fights" even between the Left candidates. The CPI
(M-L) had "friendly fight" with CPM in six seats and in 17 seats with the CPI. Such a friendly fights sent wrong signals even among the Left supporters.
It is now certain that the coming days will certainly prove to be a Herculean task for the Left to re-establish itself in state politics. The huge defeat in the assembly polls is bound to give the Left parties' leadership sleepless nights.
Bihar poll results disappointing, says CPI(M)
PTI
The CPI(M) today said it was disappointed by the Bihar Assembly poll results.
“Our number of seats have gone down in Bihar Assembly...naturally we are disappointed,” CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat told reporters outside Parliament.
CPI and CPI(M) have so far drawn a blank in the Bihar polls which have been swept by the JD(U)-BJP alliance.
Congratulating JD(U)-BJP on their good performance, she said, “We all congratulate Nitish Kumar for the victory in Bihar. His alliance has made a record victory in Bihar“.
However, Ms. Karat refused to comment on Congress’s poor performance despite the high voltage campaign by Rahul Gandhi.
Taking a dig at the BJP for not removing B S Yeddyurappa for certain “caste consideration” in Karnataka, Ms. Karat said, “In Bihar they (BJP) do not believe in caste combination. Bihar elections have risen above caste and in Karnataka, obviously, they are using certain caste factors to protect somebody who is so corrupt and guilty of wrong-doing.”
The CPI(M) today said it was disappointed by the Bihar Assembly poll results.
“Our number of seats have gone down in Bihar Assembly...naturally we are disappointed,” CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat told reporters outside Parliament.
CPI and CPI(M) have so far drawn a blank in the Bihar polls which have been swept by the JD(U)-BJP alliance.
Congratulating JD(U)-BJP on their good performance, she said, “We all congratulate Nitish Kumar for the victory in Bihar. His alliance has made a record victory in Bihar“.
However, Ms. Karat refused to comment on Congress’s poor performance despite the high voltage campaign by Rahul Gandhi.
Taking a dig at the BJP for not removing B S Yeddyurappa for certain “caste consideration” in Karnataka, Ms. Karat said, “In Bihar they (BJP) do not believe in caste combination. Bihar elections have risen above caste and in Karnataka, obviously, they are using certain caste factors to protect somebody who is so corrupt and guilty of wrong-doing.”
Monday, November 22, 2010
P.M and a host of Dignitaries visit Puttaparthi on Sai Baba's birth day eve
The annual convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning was held in Sai Kulwant Hall in a glittering ceremony graced by the Chancellor of the Institute Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba attended by Chief Guest for the convocation His Excellency The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh along with a host of glitterati from the political world.
The host of dignitaries included Sri K. Rosaiah, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri E.S.L. Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Y.S. Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri Shivraj Patil, Governor of Punjab, Sri M.K. Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Sri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Minister for Power, Sri Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Dr. Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons, Tata Consultancy Services Chairman Sri N. Chandrasekaran, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services.
The host of dignitaries included Sri K. Rosaiah, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri E.S.L. Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Y.S. Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri Shivraj Patil, Governor of Punjab, Sri M.K. Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Sri Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Minister for Power, Sri Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Dr. Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons, Tata Consultancy Services Chairman Sri N. Chandrasekaran, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Karnataka ready to build dormitory at Sabarimala for its pilgrims
November 15
Bangalore:
Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will hold talks with Dewaswom Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally on constructing a dormitory at Sannidhanam for pilgrims from Karnataka and improving vehicle traffic at Pampa.
A team headed by the chief minister including Planning Commission vice chairman Ramachandra Gowda and Yeddyurappa's son Raghavendra M.P.
The chief minister will inaugurate the resting place for pilgrims built by a private firm in Chennai on the shores of Pampa.
The Karnataka government had set aside Rs 5 crore for the benefit of the pilgrims from the state in its last budget.
But Karnataka Minister V.S. Acharya had assured the former Dewasom commissioner P.V. Nalinakshan Nair that the state was ready to spend up to Rs 25 crores for construction purposes in the area.
The Dewasom Board had agreed to give five acres of land at Nilakkal for the purpose and the primary survey was conducted.
Both the states were drawn to the table for talks by the former Sabarimala Development High Power Committee chairman K. Jayakumar.
This time Karnataka's demands will be centred on the Sabarimala Development Master plan.
Bangalore:
Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will hold talks with Dewaswom Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally on constructing a dormitory at Sannidhanam for pilgrims from Karnataka and improving vehicle traffic at Pampa.
A team headed by the chief minister including Planning Commission vice chairman Ramachandra Gowda and Yeddyurappa's son Raghavendra M.P.
The chief minister will inaugurate the resting place for pilgrims built by a private firm in Chennai on the shores of Pampa.
The Karnataka government had set aside Rs 5 crore for the benefit of the pilgrims from the state in its last budget.
But Karnataka Minister V.S. Acharya had assured the former Dewasom commissioner P.V. Nalinakshan Nair that the state was ready to spend up to Rs 25 crores for construction purposes in the area.
The Dewasom Board had agreed to give five acres of land at Nilakkal for the purpose and the primary survey was conducted.
Both the states were drawn to the table for talks by the former Sabarimala Development High Power Committee chairman K. Jayakumar.
This time Karnataka's demands will be centred on the Sabarimala Development Master plan.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Karnataka HC upholds rebel BJP legislators' disqualification
Posted on: 29 Oct 2010
Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court Friday upheld the disqualification of the 11 rebel legislators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the state assembly by Speaker K.G. Bopaiah.
Delivering the judgment in a packed courtroom, Justice V.G. Sabhahit said the rebel legislators stood disqualified under the 10(a) schedule of the anti-defection law.
CM welcomes court verdict
Hailing the Karnataka High Court verdict upholding the disqualification of 11 BJP rebel MLAs, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today described it as 'epoch making' and a major step towards eradicating the menance of defection in the country.
'This order has come as a warning bell to those who indulge in defection. I hope this will herald a new era in bringing an end to defections in the country,' Yeddyurappa told PTI.
Yeddyurappa, overwhelmed by Justice V G Sabhahit's ruling upholding disqualification of the rebel MLAs for withdrawing support to his government, said 'this has enhanced my responsibilities now. Now I have to give a further fillip
to development activities'. PTI
Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court Friday upheld the disqualification of the 11 rebel legislators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the state assembly by Speaker K.G. Bopaiah.
Delivering the judgment in a packed courtroom, Justice V.G. Sabhahit said the rebel legislators stood disqualified under the 10(a) schedule of the anti-defection law.
CM welcomes court verdict
Hailing the Karnataka High Court verdict upholding the disqualification of 11 BJP rebel MLAs, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today described it as 'epoch making' and a major step towards eradicating the menance of defection in the country.
'This order has come as a warning bell to those who indulge in defection. I hope this will herald a new era in bringing an end to defections in the country,' Yeddyurappa told PTI.
Yeddyurappa, overwhelmed by Justice V G Sabhahit's ruling upholding disqualification of the rebel MLAs for withdrawing support to his government, said 'this has enhanced my responsibilities now. Now I have to give a further fillip
to development activities'. PTI
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