LIVE | Muslim League warns Cong over Kerala CM delay; Vijay surprises leaders

No decision yet by Congress on Kerala CM as ally IUML sounds warning

There was no decision on Monday by the Congress on the next chief minister of Kerala, the only state in the latest election cycle going through such uncertainty, prompting key ally IUML to warn that the delay could have political repercussions.

The party leadership is learnt to have decided to hold discussions with former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) presidents before finalising a name. Those called by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to Delhi for discussions, likely on Tuesday, included M M Hassan, V M Sudheeran, Mullapally Ramachandran and K Muraleedharan, besides veteran leader and Kannur Lok Sabha MP K Sudhakaran, sources said.

"Discussions will also be held with former defence minister and party veteran A K Antony, who served as KPCC president between 1996 and 2001, to arrive at a decision within a day or two," a person familiar with the developments told PTI.

Uncertainty continued in party circles on Monday, two days after Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi held discussions with the three contenders for the top post – senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and leader of opposition in the outgoing Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan. KPCC chief Sunny Joseph and AICC general secretary in charge of the southern state, Deepa Dasmunsi, also attended the meeting.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, expressed displeasure over the situation. The party’s Malappuram district general secretary P Abdul Hameed said the delay had already caused dissatisfaction among party workers and the public.

“The decision has already been delayed. If it is prolonged further, there will be repercussions. We hope the AICC leadership realises this,” he told reporters.

West Bengal: Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal appointed Chief Secretary

West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal was appointed the chief secretary of the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in the state, according to an official order issued on Monday.

Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, helmed the EC-mandated SIR exercise in the state in the run-up to the assembly polls in which around 91 lakh voters were removed from the electoral rolls.

Incumbent Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala was named Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, the order stated.

Nariwala, a 1993-batch IAS, was named the chief secretary of West Bengal by the poll body, removing Nandini Chakravorty from the position of the state's top bureaucrat.

The BJP came to power for the first time in the state after handing a stunning defeat to the Trinamool Congress. The saffron party secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, reducing the TMC to 80 seats. PTI

Cong to hold talks with ex-KPCC chiefs before making CM choice in Kerala

A week after the Assembly poll results in Kerala gave a thumping majority to the United Democratic Front, the Congress leadership continues to grapple with government formation, while discussions continue as to who will be the next chief minister of the southern state.

To break the deadlock, sources said, the top leadership has now decided to hold discussions with former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) presidents before finalising the chief ministerial candidate.

Those who have been called by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to Delhi for discussions, likely on Tuesday, include MM Hassan, VM Sudheeran, Mullapally Ramachandran and K Muraleedharan, besides veteran leader and Kannur Lok Sabha MP K Sudhakaran, sources said.

Discussions would also be held with former defence minister and party veteran A K Antony, who served as the KPCC president between 1996 and 2001.

Kharge and Rahul Gandhi will take the final call on the new Kerala chief minister, which is likely to be finalised in a day or two, the sources said.

They also said that the matter may be taken up with the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who is likely to hold final discussions before closing in on the chief ministerial candidate and government formation in Kerala.

Three senior leaders – ex-KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala, AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and leader of opposition in the outgoing Assembly, VD Satheesan – have emerged as frontrunners for the top job in the southern state.

While Venugopal enjoys the support of Rahul Gandhi and the top Congress leadership, as well as the backing of more than 40 newly elected MLAs, Satheesan is popular among the party workers in Kerala.

There have been demonstrations in Kerala for making Satheesan the chief minister, which some feel may have gone against him.

Bengal govt to decide on DA, 7th Pay Commission in next cabinet meeting

The second cabinet meeting of the West Bengal government is scheduled to be held on May 18, where key decisions on DA, implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission and other administrative issues are expected to be taken, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Monday.

Addressing reporters, Adhikari said the meeting would also focus on measures to tackle crimes against women, institutional corruption and governance issues, including developments concerning the RG Kar case.

"Next Monday, I will hold another cabinet meeting where we will discuss the RG Kar issue, atrocities on women, institutional corruption, and the pay commission," he said.

Adhikari said several important matters could not be taken up during the first cabinet meeting due to a lack of time. "At the first meeting, decisions were taken only on files that were already prepared. More detailed policy matters will come up at the next meeting," he said.

State government employees have long been demanding DA on a par with central staff. The issue is currently pending before the Supreme Court. With the change in government, employees are hopeful that the new administration will announce DA in line with central rates.

The government is also likely to consider the formation of the Seventh Pay Commission, a move that could lead to a revision in salaries of state government employees. The CM indicated that a decision on granting Dearness Allowance (DA) to state government employees and pensioners at central rates may also be announced at Monday's cabinet meeting.

CPI announces nationwide campaign against BJP, says Bengal outcome 'grave concern'

Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja on Monday announced a nationwide political campaign against the BJP-led Centre, alleging that its policies threaten secularism, federalism, parliamentary democracy and workers' rights.

Announcing the party's political outreach programme, Raja said the CPI would organise padyatras and mass mobilisation campaigns across the country from August 6 to August 15, culminating in a massive rally in Delhi on September 28, the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

Addressing a press conference after the CPI National Council meeting in New Delhi, Raja expressed concern over the BJP forming a government in West Bengal for the first time and said the development would have "serious repercussions" on communal harmony and the Constitution.

"The Bengal situation demands serious introspection because the BJP capturing power in Bengal will have a serious impact on the very Constitution of India, and it will have repercussions on maintaining communal harmony in the state of Bengal as well as in the North East region," Raja said.

In a statement, the CPI described the BJP's rise in Bengal as "a matter of grave concern for the state, the region and the future of social harmony". It alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise led to the deletion of a large number of voters and raised "serious questions regarding democratic rights and electoral fairness".

BJP Kerala chief’s sarcastic post on social media fuels buzz over Kerala CM race

As the grand old party remained locked in a prolonged tussle over Kerala’s next CM, BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday took a sarcastic dig at it, triggering fresh political buzz around senior Congress leader KC Venugopal, one of the three contenders for the post. 

Reacting to a seemingly sarcastic social media post by a netizen claiming that the Kerala BJP wanted Venugopal, the AICC general secretary, in the state while the national BJP preferred him in New Delhi, Chandrasekhar said on X: “My response: I will neither confirm nor deny that this is true.” The post shared by the BJP leader mocked the continuing delay in the Congress high command’s decision on the CM’s post amid intense lobbying among the top contenders—VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, and Venugopal. 

“Hilarious tough fight between Kerala BJP and national BJP. Kerala BJP wants KC Venugopal in Kerala. National BJP wants KC Venugopal in Delhi,” the post read on X. 

Chandrasekhar’s sarcastic remark drew widespread attention as uncertainty continues within the Congress over the CM issue, with Venugopal among the prominent names in contention. 

Decision on Kerala LoP to be taken in state, says CPI(M) secretary Govindan

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan on Monday said that the decision on selecting the LoP in Kerala Assembly would be taken later in the state. He told reporters this after the CPI(M) Polit Bureau meeting in New Delhi on Monday.

"The decision about the Leader of Opposition will be taken in Kerala," he said. When asked whether there would be a Deputy Leader of Opposition, Govindan said that too would be decided in Kerala.

The CPI, the second major constituent in the LDF, has been staking a claim to the Deputy Leader of Opposition post.

Govindan said matters related to the Leader of Opposition and Deputy Leader of Opposition were not discussed at the Polit Bureau meeting. Even though reporters approached outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for a response, he did not comment.

While certain reports claim that Vijayan will become the Leader of Opposition, there is also speculation that he may hand over the responsibility of leading the front in the Assembly to KN Balagopal.

Is AIADMK on the brink of a split?

At least 30 AIADMK MLAs backing CV Shanmugam and SP Velumani have approached pro-tem Speaker Karuppaiah, filing a petition to install SP Velumani as the head of the party's legislature wing. This came hours after a rival bloc of 17 AIADMK MLAs submitted their own petition urging the recognition of Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the same role.

The two petitions have thrown open AIADMK's internal fissures.  

Delay over CM pick: Key UDF ally IUML irked

IUML, a key constituent of the Congress-led UDF, has expressed strong displeasure over the delay in deciding Kerala’s next CM, warning that prolonged uncertainty could have political repercussions.

The Indian Union Muslim League's criticism came amid continuing suspense within the Congress party over the selection of the CM, a week after the results of the April 9 Assembly polls in which the UDF secured a historic victory.

IUML Malappuram district general secretary P Abdul Hameed said the delay had already caused dissatisfaction among party workers and the public.

“The decision has already been delayed. If it is prolonged further, there will be repercussions. We hope the AICC leadership realises this,” he told reporters.

He said people across the state were questioning the delay and claimed that even women voters from the district were calling party leaders to ask why they had been made to vote for the UDF.

“There is dissatisfaction everywhere. People are raising only this issue wherever we go, including at marriage functions and funerals,” he said.

Hameed said Kerala was politically different from north Indian states and that such prolonged indecision would not be accepted by politically aware voters in the state.

He also said the UDF, despite securing a massive mandate, had been unable to properly celebrate its victory due to the uncertainty over the CM’s post.

“In many places, victory celebrations are not taking place. There are situations where elected MLAs are being advised not to attend public events because of the growing dissatisfaction,” he said.

The IUML leader further said the League had conveyed its views on the chief ministerial candidate to the Congress leadership and expressed confidence that the Congress would take the ally’s opinion seriously.

Uncertainty continues within the Congress over the selection of Kerala’s next CM, even two days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi held discussions in New Delhi with the three contenders for the post.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal, and Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan are the three leaders considered to be in contention for the CM’s post.

Abhishek alleges BJP role in Khejuri shop fire incident

Abhishek Banerjee on Monday accused alleged BJP supporters of setting shops on fire in West Bengal’s Khejuri, claiming the attack unfolded in full view of police personnel. The Trinamool Congress leader said nearly 10 shops were targeted overnight in the Jonka gram panchayat area, a day after he had raised similar allegations over a larger incident in the same region.

In a post on X, Banerjee described the episode as a “double-engine disaster” and alleged that people’s livelihoods had been destroyed. He further claimed, “This was the true face of the politics preached by” Amit Shah and the BJP.

Police, however, confirmed that five shops were damaged in the late-night blaze, reportedly set by unidentified bike-borne miscreants. Rejecting Banerjee’s accusations, local BJP leaders insisted the party stands for peace, adding, “Police are investigating the matter.”