Satheesan accuses Election Commission of ‘leaking' Kerala voters' list to CPI(M), warns of legal action over poll bias
Addressing the media in Kannur after inaugurating the handing-over ceremony of documents to 83 landless people in the Kannur Corporation limits on Monday (July 21, 2025), Mr. Satheesan alleged that the draft voters' list was 'leaked' to the CPI(M) ahead of its official publication on July 23 and claimed that the list was tampered with to remove numerous names.
'The time provided, just five days from July 23 to August 7, for the voters to verify and add their names is grossly inadequate,' he said, demanding an extension of at least 30 days.
He also criticised the commission for failing to implement a cap of 1,100 voters per booth as was enforced during the General Elections.
'In rural areas, the number has gone up to 1,300, making it impossible to complete voting even by 10 p.m.,' he said, alleging that the move was intended to 'aid the CPI(M) in disrupting the polls.'
Mr. Satheesan further claimed that the Election Commission's actions indicated 'clear support for attempts to sabotage the election process.'
'The commission must act independently, without bowing to government pressure,' he said.
Mr. Satheesan also questioned the CPI(M)'s 'ambiguous response' to recent remarks by SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.
'Their vague statement confirms our allegations that the Chief Minister is using Vellappally to spread communal narratives. A leader associated with the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru should not utter words that go against his philosophy,' he said.
'Govt-Governor tussle a staged drama'
He also criticised the recent stand-off between the State government and the Governor, terming it 'a staged drama' to divert attention from mounting public discontent.
'Both the Governor and the government escalated a trivial issue for days, only to settle it after tarnishing students and universities. These theatrics emerge every time the government face a crisis,' he said.
Mr. Satheesan raised questions about the earlier appointment of Mohanan Kunnummal as the Vice Chancellor of the Kerala University of Health University (KUHS) by the same LDF government. 'If he is RSS, why did the government appoint him? Was there a prior understanding with the Sangh Parivar?' he asked.
On the controversy surrounding the death of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu, Mr. Satheesan demanded that the Revenue Minister respond to the latest revelations.
Mr. Satheesan dismissed that claims that Youth Congress workers blocked an ambulance at Vithura in Thiruvananthapuram as a 'manufactured lie', citing statements by the deceased's family reportedly asserting that protesters 'had in fact helped the patient into the ambulance.'
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Time of India
5 hours ago
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The Wire
7 hours ago
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Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘You live on through us': Kerala says goodbye to ‘comrade VS'
As a sea of humanity including many generations of leaders whom he had inspired stood witness, the mortal remains of iconic Communist leader V S Achuthanandan were consigned to flames on Wednesday at Valiyachudukadu burial ground in Alappuzha – the resting place of martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and several other communist leaders. Achuthanandan's pyre was lit up by his son V A Arunkumar late at night as thousands of party workers and leaders with clenched fists raised the slogan 'Brave Comrade VS, you live on through us.' Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby, legislators, MPs, leaders from various political parties gave a heroic farewell to Achuthanandan, the last among the founding leaders of the CPI(M). Earlier in the day, the body of Achuthanandan, who died on Monday when three months were left for him to turn 102, was brought to his hometown Alappuzha. Thousands of people cutting across party lines gave an emotional farewell to the beloved leader. That VS, a former chief minister, had been away from limelight and active political life since suffering a stroke in 2019 had not impacted the turnout of mourners. A flower-decorated low-floor bus, which was converted into a hearse, had a tough time wading through the warmth and love of thousands of people who lined up both sides of the road to give the final 'lal salam'' to the departed leader. Throughout the procession, emotionally-filled people were running along with the cortege for miles until they got exhausted, while some others were seen strewing flower petals on the cortege. Party workers and common man from far flung regions of the state had thronged on the road to give 'red salute' to the leader who is known as a darling of the common man and champion of their causes. The cortege took 22 hours to cover a distance of around 150 kms from Thiruvananthapuram to Alappuzha. After the cortege reached Alappuzha around noon, the body was taken to his Velikkakathu house at Punnapra, where VS's wife Vasumathi and other family members gave a tearful adieu. Later, the body was taken to the Alappuzha district committee office of the CPI(M), which was VS's second home during his early years of political life in the undivided Communist Party. Before being ferried to the Valiyachudukadu burial ground, the body was kept at a seaside ground for public viewing, where thousands queued up braving heavy rains to give final farewell to VS. The 40 cent burial ground, which is close to communist hearts, is the resting place of martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising and several early leaders of the Communist movement such as T V Thomas, K R Gouriyamma, P T Punnoose, R Sugathan and P K Chandranandan. Achuthanandan had recalled that he was inspired into political work by Thomas and Sugathan, among others. His pyre was arranged near the resting place of Thomas and Punnose. Every year, VS used to pay tributes to the martyrs on the commemoration of the event in October. The last time he visited Valiyachudukadu was during the annual commemoration in October 2019 and that was his last public function, before being bedridden.
