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‘We are happy in LDF’, Jose K Mani dismisses talks on return to UDF

Kottayam, June 27 (IANS) Dispelling speculation that the Kerala Congress (Mani), the third biggest ally in the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), is unhappy and is seeking greener pastures, the chairman of the party and Rajya Sabha member Jose K. Mani said “they are a happy lot”.

Mani said this on Friday ahead of a meeting of the party. “The news that we are moving base is only in the air, and we have had no discussions about it at all with anyone. We are happy in the Left Democratic Front,” said Jose.

Incidentally, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan in the past week has said on multiple occasions that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is all set for expansion, as “unbelievable political things will happen”.

Jose is the son of the legendary leader K.M. Mani, who founded the Kerala Congress party in the sixties. He passed away in 2019.

His record of being the longest-serving legislator was beaten by Congress legend Oommen Chandy just before he passed away in 2023.

Mani’s party over the years have seen numerous factions emerging, and his stock statement every time a split occurs is that the “Kerala Congress splits as it grows and grows as it splits”.

The party has, over the years, also moved between the two traditional rival political fronts — the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led Left Front, which Jose is now part of.

At present, there are various factions of the erstwhile Kerala Congress, and they include Kerala Congress and Kerala Congress(Jacob), both in the UDF, while in the ruling Left, apart from Kerala Congress (M), there are the Kerala Congress(B) and the Democratic Kerala Congress.

One faction, which was led by seven-time veteran former legislator P.C. George, merged his party with the BJP. He joined the party in January 2024.

Incidentally, it was during the 2020 local body polls that the party led by Jose moved towards the Left from the UDF and just before the 2021 Assembly polls, his party was made a permanent member of the Left.

“Our meeting is being held to draw out a strategy for the soon-to-be-held local body polls,” added Jose.

–IANS

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Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu denies urea shortage in state

Amaravati, Sep 3 (IANS) Denying that there is a urea shortage in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday warned that serious action will be taken against those spreading fake news.

He appealed to farmers not to be carried away by the false campaign of the YSR Congress Party on the shortage of urea and fertilisers. He alleged that the opposition party is resorting to false campaigns to create panic among farmers for political mileage.

Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister appealed to farmers not to become partners of fake politics and the state government is committed to the welfare of farmers by providing water security. He said the state government remitted Rs 7,000 each to all the farmers recently.

He also appealed to farmers to avoid excess use of fertilisers and pesticides, which may lead to health problems for people. He said that the state government is considering to provide a subsidy to those farmers who minimise the usage of fertilisers and pesticides using drone technology.

CM Naidu said some districts, including Nellore, Tirupati and Palnadu, are using a huge quantity of urea and Srikakulam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Manyam and Vizianagaram districts are registered with low consumption of fertilisers and pesticides.

Giving a PowerPoint presentation on the availability of urea and fertilisers in all districts, the Chief Minister said that sufficient stocks are available in all the districts, and some people, in the guise of farmers trying to create panic among farmers by resorting to false campaigns on the shortage of urea and fertilisers.

Citing the example of four YSR Congress party men of Krishna district who made a hue and cry in the guise of farmers, the Chief Minister said that the government is going to act tough on such persons.

Naidu said that district collectors are instructed to monitor the distribution of urea and fertilisers daily to ensure the supply of urea to each and every farmer.

He said that as of today, 94,892 tonnes of urea are available in the state, and the Central government allotted another 53,000 tonnes of urea on Tuesday. The Chief Minister said that some people resorted to false campaigning during mango season, also.

–IANS

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Kerala BJP Councilor K. Anilkumar’s suicide note blames isolation, financial crisis

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 20 (IANS) Thirumala ward councilor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and BJP leader K. Anilkumar was found hanging in his office on Saturday.

A suicide note recovered from the spot reveals that he felt abandoned during a severe financial crisis despite having helped many during his lifetime.

Anilkumar, who also headed the Valyashala Farm Tour Society, wrote that the cooperative had debts of around Rs 6 crore but assets worth Rs 11 crore.

He urged that these assets be used to repay investors and appealed that his family not be blamed.

He also thanked everyone who had supported him.

The note reportedly contained criticism of BJP leadership, alleging that the party did not stand by him when the society faced financial difficulties.

He clarified that neither he nor his family had taken any money for personal use.

A prominent BJP face in the capital, Anilkumar had led several agitations at the corporation and district levels.

His sudden death has shocked the local political scene.

However BJP city president Karamana Jayan admitted that the cooperative society was under stress but denied any misappropriation and the party was with the deceased.

Meanwhile, trouble broke out when the local BJP supporters got into a tiff with the media personnel who had come to report the incident.

Objections were raised by the local BJP workers and seen engaged in a tiff with the media personnel.

The media people came under duress and their equipment was also targeted by the BJP workers.

The suicide incident has shocked the BJP leadership as in the 101 member Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP is the leading opposition party and with the soon to be held local body polls in the state, the state leadership is expecting that they will be able to gain control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

The BJP has been accusing the ruling CPI-M in the Corporation of indulging in widespread alleged corrupt deals.

–IANS

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