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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Officials to tour BJP-ruled MP to study Indore sanitation model
T'puram: Even as the state govt faces mounting criticism over its handling of waste management, including the toxic smoke crisis from the Brahmapuram fire in Kochi in 2023, a team of senior officials is heading to BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh to study the acclaimed sanitation model of Indore municipal corporation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The move comes months ahead of the local body elections, where the govt's performance on civic issues is expected to be a major campaign theme. A delegation led by local self govt special secretary T V Anupama will visit Indore from July 8 to 10 to study the city's solid waste management practices and sanitation systems. The visit is based on the city's consistent record as the country's cleanest under the Swachh Survekshan rankings. A govt order approving the visit was issued on July 2. This is not the first time that a CPM-led govt in Kerala is turning to BJP-governed states for insights into administrative systems. In 2022, a team led by then chief secretary V P Joy visited Gujarat from April 27 to 29 to study its real-time e-governance dashboard and described the Gujarat model as "remarkable". The latest visit, also coinciding with the chief minister's current trip to the US for follow-up treatment, has once again brought focus to the LDF govt's approach of borrowing governance models from states it has traditionally criticised. It has also reignited political discussions on the CPM's shifting stance on engaging with BJP-ruled states. Back in 2013, the party took a sharp position against even symbolic engagements with BJP leaders. When then labour minister Shibu Baby John met the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad to discuss labour sector practices, CPM demanded that chief minister Oommen Chandy clarify the govt's position. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Pinarayi Vijayan, then CPM state secretary, was vocal in stating that there was "nothing in Gujarat's labour sector Kerala needs to learn. " The party even demanded Shibu's resignation. In contrast, the current official visit to Indore is being undertaken without much political commentary from the CPM, though it comes at a time when the state's own waste management record has been severely criticised. The Brahmapuram fire incident in 2023, which choked Kochi with toxic smoke for days, prompted widespread public outrage and legal scrutiny, exposing serious flaws in Kerala's waste handling infrastructure. "With the local body polls nearing, civic issues like garbage management, sanitation and public health are expected to dominate public discourse. The Indore visit, while aimed at adopting best practices, may also be viewed through the lens of political messaging and damage control," a senior official in the department said on conditions of anonymity. While officials maintain that there is no contradiction in studying successful models regardless of which party governs a state, political observers say such visits inevitably draw attention when past statements and current actions appear misaligned. The key question, however, remains whether these study tours will translate into meaningful reforms on the ground or remain symbolic gestures without follow-through, as happened with the 2022 Gujarat tour.
New Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Ravada was a bittersweet option for Kerala government as new DGP
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The appointment of Ravada A Chandrasekhar as the new state police chief was on expected lines, to put it bluntly. Unlike the previous two instances — in 2021, when Anil Kant, and in 2023, when Shaik Darvesh Saheb were selected — the government this time round was short of options and the writing on the wall was clear. In 2021, the selection boiled down to Anil Kant or B Sandhya, while in 2023 it was Shaik Darvesh vs K Padmakumar. There were frenetic lobbying and umpteen last-minute patch-up meets to shore up the claims of the candidates. The government was hard-pressed due to its options. This time, though, the situation was reversed. The government was in a quandary as the three names expected in the UPSC shortlist — Nitin Agarwal, Ravada and Yogesh Gupta — appealed to it the least. Nitin, the government assessed, was not popular with fellow officers. It had questions about Yogesh after he allegedly transferred files on K M Abraham, chief principal secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to a central agency without consulting the state government. With Ravada, the CPM-led government had an axe to grind. He was indicted in the 1994 Koothuparamba firing incident, a rallying point of left youth activism, in which five DYFI members were killed. At the time Ravada was an ASP, fresh out of training from the SVP National Police Academy, Hyderabad. The officer was suspended in connection with the incident, but was later redrafted. However, the High Court quashed the case against cops, including Ravada, after the government did not issue sanction for prosecution. Sources within the police and the government say Ravada was chosen out of compulsion. 'Ravada is undoubtedly a good candidate. He is soft-spoken and can take the entire pack along with him. But he carries the stigma of being involved in the Koothuparamba case. But the government chose to overlook it as it was not at all comfortable with the other two names. So, the moment UPSC sent back the shortlist, it was almost decided who the next police chief would be,' a highly placed source said.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bypoll election results: AAP wins 2 seats, Trinamool & BJP 1 each; Congress wins in Kerala
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel New Delhi: In the assembly by-polls held for five seats across four states, AAP won two while the BJP Congress and Trinamool Congress won one seat Gujarat, the ruling BJP retained Kadi in Mehsana district, while AAP retained Visavadar in Junagarh. AAP also retained the Ludhiana West seat in Punjab. Trinamool Congress retained the Kaliganj seat while Congress snatched the Nilambur seat from the CPM in candidate Sanjeev Arora won the Ludhiana West assembly seat by a margin of 10,637 votes, an improvement over the previous margin of 7,512 votes in 2022. The seat fell vacant after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi. Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu got 24,542 votes while BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta got 20,323 Gujarat, BJP's Rajendra Chavda defeated Congress candidate Ramesh Chavda by a margin of 38,904 votes in Kadi. In Visavadar, AAP's Gopal Italia bagged 75,906 votes against BJP's Kirit Patel's 58,325 votes, while Congress's Nitin Ranpariya got 5,491 votes. With this, BJP now has 162 members in the 182-seat assembly while Congress has 12, AAP five and there are three West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress retained the Kaliganj seat with party candidate Alifa Ahemed winning the seat by a margin of 50,049 votes. BJP candidate Ashish Ghosh stood second with 52,710 votes while Congress candidate Kabil Uddin Shaikh got 28,348 Congress wrested the Nilambur Assembly seat in Kerala, marking a morale booster for the United Democratic Front (UDF) against the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the run-up to next year's assembly elections. The Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath defeated CPM's M Swaraj by 11,077 votes.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Tough task ahead for govt as race to SPC post hots up
1 2 3 Thiruvananthapuram: With state police chief Sheikh Darvesh Sahib set to retire at the end of this month, the process to appoint Kerala's next state police chief (SPC) has entered a crucial stage. With the state heading into an election year, the govt is treading carefully in finalising the recommendation, balancing seniority, experience and political compatibility. Among the front-runners is Ravada A Chandrasekhar, a 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as secretary (security) in the cabinet secretariat. Chandrasekhar recently visited Thiruvananthapuram and is learnt to have met chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and chief secretary A Jayathilak, who is also his batchmate, formally expressing interest in returning to state service to take up the top post. While Chandrasekhar was earlier viewed as a strong contender for the post of director, Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Centre's decision to extend incumbent IB chief Tapan Kumar Deka's tenure by another year has shifted the equation, with Chandrasekhar now eyeing the SPC role. If appointed, he would be eligible for an additional year in service, extending his career beyond the current 2026 retirement date. In terms of seniority among officers of DGP rank in Kerala, Chandrasekhar stands second, just below Nitin Agarwal, another strong contender. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The UPSC is likely to forward a panel of three names to the state, based on the state's recommendation and cadre seniority. As it stands, the probable shortlist may include Agarwal, Chandrasekhar and Yogesh Gupta. Following them in the seniority order is DGP Manoj Abraham, who is widely regarded across all political and administrative fronts as field-experienced and acceptable, and his name is expected to remain relevant through the final stages of the decision-making process. Further down the list are additional DGPs Suresh Raj Purohit and M R Ajith Kumar. While Purohit is currently on central deputation with the Special Protection Group (SPG), Ajith Kumar has been keeping a low profile following the thick controversies that surrounded him in the recent past. Also, both officers face a key eligibility barrier — neither has completed 30 years of service, which may effectively rule them out of contention for the top post. The appointment comes at a politically sensitive time, with the 2026 assembly elections not far away. The leadership of the police force during this period is expected to play a significant role in maintaining law and order, managing public perception, and ensuring administrative stability. As such, the final decision is likely to be influenced not just by service records and seniority but also by the state govt's comfort level with the officer's administrative style and political alignment. Political observers note that the CPM-led govt has shown flexibility in past appointments. In 2016, the party fielded M V Nikesh Kumar, son of M V Raghavan whom CPM held responsible for the Koothuparamba police firing as the LDF candidate in Azhikode, and later inducted him into the Kannur district committee. This shift demonstrated the party's willingness to look beyond emotional baggage when it serves broader political or strategic goals. Similarly, Raman Srivastava, once a close aide of K Karunakaran, was appointed as chief advisor to CM Pinarayi Vijayan, again highlighting the CPM's pragmatic approach. The UPSC is expected to finalise a three-member panel based on seniority and service records, from which the state govt will choose the next police chief.
New Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Left govt in Kerala slams Amit Shah's ‘feel ashamed to speak English' remark, defends linguistic diversity
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM-led LDF government in Kerala has reacted sharply to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that soon a time would come when those speaking English in the country would 'feel ashamed'. Higher Education Minister R Bindu said Shah's statement reflected the "narrow-minded politics" that he represents and that it would only serve to curtail students' knowledge and global outlook. "Amit Shah's statement should also be seen in the context of attempts to impose Hindi across the country. This is a major transgression on India's linguistic diversity," she told reporters. General Education Minister V Sivankutty said no language is inferior or superior to another and asserted that, as an international language, English is an important medium for communication and exchange of knowledge. "The government of Kerala is committed to encouraging learning of all languages and protecting the right of students to select the language of their choice," Sivankutty said. He added that linguistic diversity was the strength of the nation and should be protected. Speaking at a book release function in Delhi on Thursday, Shah said, "In this country, those who speak English will soon feel ashamed, the creation of such a society is not far away." Shah also said that the time has come to reclaim India's linguistic heritage and lead the world with pride in native tongues.
