Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 6 (PTI) Polling began at 7 am on Tuesday in Kerala for the 140 seats single phase election to the state assembly, amidheavy security.

'Metroman' E Sreedharan, who is the BJP-NDA candidate from Palakkad constituency was among the early voters in the state.

"I have cast my vote, have good expectations", he told reporters after excercising his franchise at a polling booth in Ponnani.

Long queues were seen in several polling stations much before the polling began.

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 4 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took an autorickshaw ride at two places in Kerala, on the last day of campaign for the April 6 Assembly polls, to highlight the rising fuel prices under the BJP-NDA rule.

Gandhi, who addressed a campaign meeting at Nemom, here in the evening, took an autorickshawto the venue, catching everyone by surprise.

K Muraleedharan, MP, is the Congress-led UDF candidate at Nemom, the lone seat won by the BJP in the 2016 assembly polls.

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 31 (PTI) Kerala has got A Shajahan as the State Election Commissioner (SEC).

Shajahan assumed charge on Wednesday and his term ends on March 30, 2026.

He took charge as the term of V Bhaskaran has ended.

Shajahan has served as Secretary in various government departments, including general education, sports and youth welfare, minority welfare, social justice and local self- government andwas also the Rural Development Commissioner, Director of General Education and Director of Panchayats and Urban Affairs.

Chalakudy (Ker), Mar 31 (PTI) Reaching out to women voters in Kerala, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday highlighted the crucial role they play in society and said till entering politics at the age of 47, she looked after her children, cleaned her house and cooked food just as all housewives do in their family.

"I am really happy to do it and I learnt a very big thing from it," Gandhi said at an election meeting here while highlighting a Congress-led UDF poll promise for the welfare of housewives.

New Delhi, Mar 30 (PTI) The French Navy's amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre and frigate Surcouf arrived in Kochi on Tuesday ahead of a mega naval war game involving France and four member nations of the Quad grouping, officials said.

The French ships are on a two-day goodwill visit to Kochi, in reflection of deeper military ties between the two navies, they said.

Kasaragod(Ker), Mar 30 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday dubbed as "shameful" and "utter lie" Union Minister Piyush Goyal's dismissal as "wrong" the reports that two nuns and two postulants belonging to a Kerala-based congregation were attacked during a trainjourney in UP recently.

Vijayan's reaction comes a day after the Union Minister had rejected the charge that the nuns and two others were "attacked" in Jhansi by some Bajrang Dal activists and said the Kerala CM was "making false statements" on the issue.

Kayamkulam(Ker), Mar 30 (PTI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday began her campaign for the April 6 assembly polls in Kerala, by taking out a road show meandering through this ancient maritime trading town in Alappuzha district, seeking votes for the party candidate.

Seated atop a moving vehicle along with Aritha Babu, the Congress candidate from Kayamkulam, Priyanka clad in a yellow salwar kameez, waved to the jostling crowd of people lined up on both sides of the road and also shook hands with many enthusiastic voters.

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 23 (PTI): Kerala's tuberculosis eradication programme has won national honour as the state bagged the Union government's award for reducing the prevalence of the disease through various systematic initiatives.

Kerala is the lone state which has been chosen for the recognition in the state category, a Health department statement said here.

Kochi, Mar 22 (PTI) In a setback to the BJP-NDA front ahead of the April 6 assembly polls, the Kerala High Court on Monday dismissed pleas of its three candidates challenging the rejection of their nomination papers by returning officers.

Justice N Nagaresh accepted the contention of the Election Commission that the court cannot interfere once the notification for the polls has been issued.

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 21 (PTI): Union minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday hit out at the CPI(M)-led LDF government for registering a case against Enforcement Directorate officials probing the gold smuggling case, saying any attempt to hamper it by such acts 'clearly shows what is troubling them".

"If they try to hamper progress of the ongoing investigation by filing a police case against ED officials, it clearly shows what is troubling them.