Left In India

Fair probe required on complaint accusing Kerala CM of stirring Left: UDF

The Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday demanded a fair probe into the complaint against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accusing him of making a speech instigating brutal assaults against Youth Congress members during the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme of the government last year. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan made the demand in a submission in the House where he contended that a magisterial court has ordered a probe against the CM on the complaint. Responding to the submission on behalf of the CM, state Excise and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M B Rajesh said that the court has only asked the police to investigate whether there are sufficient grounds to proceed further with the complaint. "The court ordered the police to investigate under section 202 (1) of the CrPC as to whether there are sufficient reasons to proceed with the complaint and submit a report," Rajesh said. The court order of October 3 came on a complaint by Ernakulam ..

Sexual assault: Row intensifies as Kerala govt accused of shielding accused

Protests raged in Kerala on Friday as outrage grew over shocking accounts from several female actors in the Malayalam film industry, with the Leader of the Opposition, V D Satheesan, accusing the CPI(M)-led government of shielding the culprits, including actor-politician Mukesh, who stands accused of sexual assault. Mahila Congress activists in Kochi and Kollam took to the streets, demanding the resignation of CPI(M) MLA Mukesh and a thorough investigation into the shocking allegations of sexual misconduct made by female actors in the Malayalam film industry to the Justice Hema Committee. In Kochi, demonstrators vented their anger by beating effigies of Mukesh, Sidhique, and Ranjith -- all accused of sexual assault -- with brooms. In Kollam, a protest march was held outside Mukesh's residence, with activists calling for his immediate resignation as MLA. Satheesan alleged that the accused in the Malayalam film industry scandal are being protected by a "power group" within the ruling

Full credit to PM Modi, CM Shinde for weakening left extremism: Deora

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for "unambiguously weakening left-wing extremism."His comments came days after 12 Naxals were killed in an encounter in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on July 17.In a post on X, Milind Deora said, "Full credit to @narendramodi Ji & @mieknathshinde Ji for unambiguously weakening left-wing extremism. This is precisely how the #Maharashtra Government ensured a Rs10,000 crore steel plant creating 7,000 jobs came to #Gadchiroli, a former Naxal hotbed".He added, "I recall how far-left elements tried to prevail over the UPA's efforts to weed out Maoist insurgent groups."After the encounter, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, told ANI, "All armed formations/cadres in Uttar Gadchiroli have been neutralised by the police. After this operation, Uttar Gadchiroli is naxal-free now. Despite the rain and overflowing rivers and canals, our police personnel carried ..

Student migration dangerous, says UDF; Left govt terms it global phenomenon

The Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday said in the state assembly that the increasing student migration from Kerala was a dangerous trend which if not addressed, would result in the southern state becoming the home of elderly people. The Left government, however, brushed it aside, saying it was a global phenomenon that was not confined to Kerala alone. The issue was raised by the UDF while seeking adjournment of the House proceedings to discuss the matter, permission for which was denied by the Speaker after the state government said that student migrations were a normal trend and an outcome of globalisation. Following the denial of permission for the motion to adjourn the House, the opposition staged a walkout, alleging that the government and the state higher education minister were "in denial mode" and not acknowledging the danger posed by student migration. State Higher Education Minister R Bindu claimed that student migration was a "global phenomenon" following globalisat

LS poll results: Left parties improve, lead on 8-10 seats, show EC trends

Embroiled in a battle for survival, Left parties marginally improved their performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leading in eight to 10 seats according to vote counting trends. The CPI (M), which had only three MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha, was leading in five parliamentary seats, trends of the Election Commission website around 12 noon showed. The party sprung a surprise in Rajasthan, with its candidate from Sikar, Amra Ram, leading by more than 55,814 votes over BJP's Sumedhanand Saraswati. In Tamil Nadu, where the CPI(M) fought on two seats, Madurai and Dindigul, the party was leading in both, while in Kerala's Alathur K Radhakrishnan of the CPI(M) was leading by more than 15,936 votes against Congress's Ramya Haridas. There was a close contest in Attingal in Kerala where the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has pitted V Joy against Congress's Adoor Prakash. The CPI(M) candidate was leading by around 600 votes, the trends around 12 noon showed. In West Bengal's .

Left govt in Kerala enters fourth year, CM says poverty to end by 2025

As the Left government in Kerala marks its fourth year in office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday the government plans to develop a knowledge economy and eradicate extreme poverty in the state by November 1, 2025. Listing out achievements of the Kerala government, Vijayan said in a statement that the consecutive Left governments have focused on developing basic infrastructure in the state. "This government is striving to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy, emphasising achievements in infrastructure development and the welfare sector. As part of it, we are addressing deficiencies and eliminating gaps in various areas. Kerala already has the lowest poverty rate in India, and we are now taking steps towards eradicating extreme poverty. By November 1, 2025, Kerala aims to become a state free of extreme poverty," Vijayan said. Vijayan said that while the Union government fails to fill the numerous vacancies in various Central government establishments, including

LS elections: Both Left, Cong taking PFI support in polls, says Amit Shah

Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday attacked the Congress and the ruling Left in Kerala, alleging both were taking the support of a banned organisation, Popular Front of India, to win in the Lok Sabha polls in the state. Shah alleged that while the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), political wing of PFI, openly proclaimed its support for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, the LDF was silent on the ban on PFI. "On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to protect the country from organisations like the PFI," he said at a poll rally in Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency while seeking votes for BJP's candidate Sobha Surendran. He also alleged that during the rule of the Communists and the Congress, terrorists were protected in state. Shah also attacked the Congress and the Left, alleging that they both pretend to be fighting each other in Kerala and West Bengal, while in other parts of the country they are together. He claimed that ...

Left weakening in JNU, outfits struggling to win independently: VC Pandit

With the appearance of rival political outfits, the Left in the Jawaharlal Nehru University has weakened and is forced to join hands since it struggles to win elections independently, varsity Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit said. Pandit, a former JNU student, said she used to contest against the Left as part of the Free Thinkers group a "neutral" students' body not affiliated to any political party. In an interview with PTI editors at the agency's headquarters, Pandit said nearly 1,500 NOTA votes were cast in the recently held JNU Students Union elections, an act that shows students are interested in neither the Left nor the Right. Pandit, who did her MPhil and then PhD in International Politics from JNU, said with time more political outfits like the RSS-affiliated ABVP and Congress-backed NSUI, as well as RJD, have made their presence on campus, which once used to be solely dominated by the Left outfits. The United Left panel comprising All India Students Association (AISA),

Left devoting campaign to attack me, tactic can only help BJP: Tharoor

Accusing the Left of dividing anti-BJP votes in Thiruvananthapuram, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said the Left claims to be very concerned about opposition unity, but fails to address why it is devoting most of its energies in the constituency to undermining him instead of focusing on the "BJP's misrule". Tharoor, who is locked in a three-way contest with BJP leader and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, said it is ironical that the Left seeks to divide the anti-BJP vote in the parliamentary seat, and preach alliance dharma in Wayanad, from where Rahul Gandhi is contesting. In an interview with PTI, the former Union minister said that putting up a candidate against him is something the Left has done every time, and he can't criticise them for that, since he took the seat from them in the first place in 2009. "But devoting their entire campaign to attacking me is a tactic which can only help the BJP. The Left claims

LS polls 2024: CPI(M) manifesto promises 'super tax' on rich, scrap UAPA

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday launched its poll manifesto, making several promises, including unemployment allowance, scrapping UAPA, CAA and more

ED summons harassment, will not appear: CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac

Senior CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac on Tuesday said he would not be appearing before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a FEMA case, terming the summons issued to him as "pure harassment". The Foreign Exchange Management Act case is linked to a probe into the alleged violations in the financial dealings of KIIFB during his tenure as the finance minister in the previous LDF government. Isaac told reporters that he had asked the ED to withdraw the summons issued to him last week. The ED had issued a summons for the 71-year-old politician to depose at the agency office in Kochi on January 22, but he did not appear before it. He was earlier asked to appear before it on January 12 but he had not turned up then also. Isaac today said that he was willing to appear before the agency and give an explanation if the ED can point out what law has been violated. "But, I am not going to appear before them so that they can question me and find out if any laws were violated. That amoun

Left parties compare new parliament inauguration to coronation of monarch

The Left parties on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comparing the inauguration of the new parliament building by him with the coronation of a monarch and relegating the people of the country to "subjects ('praja')". Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building here on Sunday morning and installed the historic Sengol in the Lok Sabha chamber. Amid Vedic chants by priests from Karnataka's Shringeri Math, the prime minister performed "Ganapati Homam" to invoke Gods to bless the inauguration of the new Parliament building. Modi prostrated before the Sengol and sought blessings from high priests of various adheenams in Tamil Nadu with the holy sceptre in hand. Around 20 opposition parties decided to boycott the event over the prime minister and not the president inaugurating the building. In a series of tweets, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged that the inauguration ceremony was held amid "loud propaganda" with the declaration of a

Only a technical issue, CPI secretary on removal of national party status

A day after being removed from the list of national parties by the Election Commission of India, state CPI secretary Kanam Rajendran on Tuesday said that it was "just a technical issue"

Kerala FM says no to reduction of Rs 2 fuel cess; Opposition walks out

Contrary to expectations, Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal on Wednesday refuted reports that he will reduce the Rs 2 fuel cess that was included in his budget speech for the year 2023-24.

BJP scared of Left, Congress electoral understanding in Tripura: Ex-CM

Claiming that the electoral understanding between the Left and the Congress has a moral ground in Tripura, CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar said that the ruling BJP is scared of two of its rivals coming together to oust the fascist ruler in the northeastern state. He also accused the saffron party of throttling democracy in the northeastern state during its rule in the past five years. The BJP must be thinking about how its two rivals have joined hands. They are also questioning the morality of the electoral adjustment but the reality is that the people want to oust the fascist ruler from power, he said at an election rally in Dhalai district's Surma assembly constituency on Monday. Sarkar claimed that the Left-Congress understanding is based on the people's aspiration to restore democracy in the northeastern state. Both CPI (M) and Congress are helping each other for restoring democracy, secularism and protecting people's liberty. The electoral understanding between the two parties has

Kerala Budget: Rs 2,000 cr to manage price rise, Rs 80 cr for the poor

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday presented the Left government's budget for the fiscal 2023-24, allocating Rs 100 crore for welfare programmes and setting aside Rs 2,000 crore for tackling price rise, besides announcing a slew of initiatives for the infrastructure and higher education sector. Beginning the budget speech on a positive note, the Minister said the southern state has bravely overcome COVID challenges and finally returned to the path of growth and prosperity. Though the state's economy is facing challenges due to the financial policies of the Centre and its decision to impose cuts on its borrowing limit, Kerala is not in a debt trap, he said. Assuring that the financial constraints would not impact the welfare and social security schemes of the government, Balagopal said Rs 100 crore would be set aside for welfare development programmes in the budget. "A total of Rs 2,000 crore will be allocated for tackling price rise in the state," he said. The FM said

Kolkata civic polls: Left pins hope on Red Volunteers to regain lost ground

The Left Front, which had ruled the state uninterrupted for 3 decades, has for the first time failed to open its account in the 294-member House during the assembly polls held earlier in the year.

NMP a plan to 'sell' India's assets, will be 'disastrous': Left parties

Left parties on Wednesday hit out at the National Monetisation Pipeline announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, claiming that is a plan to "sell" India's assets and it will be "disastrous"

Change policies to promote industry, manufacturing: Kerala finance minister

We need to promote indigenous industry and indigenous knowledge and translate them into industrial production, says Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal

Now, Rashtra Manch to invite leaders from the Congress to next meet

Samajwadi Party leader Ghanshyam Tiwari told Business Standard that a 'decision' not to invite the Congress party to the meeting was just a "rumour"