A K Antony sworn-in as Kerala chief minister

17 May - Senior Congress leader A K Antony was on Thursday sworn-in as the 18th chief minister of Kerala. He will head a Congress-led United Democratic Front government. Governor S S Kang administered the oath of office and secrecy to Antony at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.

Along with Antony, nominees of seven UDF partners were also sworn-in as ministers. They are: Indian Union Muslim League leader P K Kunhalikutty, Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader T M Jacob, Kerala Congress (B) chief whip K B Ganesh Kumar, Janathipathiya Samrakashana Samithi leader K R Gowri, Communist Marxist Party leader M V Raghavan and Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Babu Divakaran.

A K Antony, Kerala ministry to be sworn in on May 17

An eight-member United Democratic Front Ministry in Kerala, headed by 61-year-old A K Antony, will be sworn in at 10:45 AM on May 17. Besides Antony, the ministry will consist of the legislature party leaders of all the constituent parties. Matters relating to the expansion of the ministry and allocation of portfolios among the constituents will be decided at the UDF parliamentary party meeting to be held in the afternoon of May 17, UDF Convener K Sankaranarayanan told newsmen.

Antony was earlier unanimously chosen as the leader of the 63-member Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and subsequently as leader of the eight-party UDF. AICC emissaries Ghulam Nabi Azad and Motilal Vohra were both present at the CLP meeting and the meeting of the UDF leaders. Antony will be the Chief Minister of the state for the third time.

Though senior Congress leader K Karunakaran had reportedly been pressing for the simultaneous announcement of the appointment of his son K Muraleedharan, MP, as PCC (I) president, this matter did not come up for discussion.

RIOTS AT TALIPARAMBA, SI INJURED, POLICE FIRING

In an unprecedented scene created by the street hawkers and the Police at Taliparamba Town, Sub Inspector, P.P. Sadanandan was injured and admitted to the Co-operative Hospital. It is also reported that in this incident dozens of Policemen and street hawkers were also injured.

The incident occurred when the police on duty was attacked by a group of hawkers.

JAYASEELAN MURDER, CASE REGISTERED AGAINST 6 BJP ACTIVISTS

Mattannur: Case has been registered against 6 BJP activists in connection with the murder of CPM activist, Jayaseelan (25). Shri Jayaseelan was murdered at 19th Mile near Mattannur Pazhassi Project

ACCIDENT DEATH, VEHICLE UNDER CUSTODY

The Police confirmed that Shri Puthanpurayil C.K. Prakashan, who was found killed near Mundayad Karuvanvaidyar Bus Stop, the cause of death as hit and run by the Tempo Traveller 13-G1182 driven by Mr. Manaf of Kannurkara. Kannur Town Police has already took custody of the vehicle.

Mr. Prakashan was killed on his way after purchasing crackers to celebrate Vishu.

VISHU CELEBRATED TRADITIONALLY, OVER CROWD OF DEVOTEES AT MAJOR TEMPLES

Yesterday the people of Kannur District celebrated Vishu with true spirit. All the important temples of Kannur District especially the Chirakkal Kadalayi Sreekrishna Temple, Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari Temple, Chowa Mahasiva Temple, Taliparamba Rajarajeswara Temple, Thrichambaram Shrikrishna Temple, Pallikunnu Mookambika Temple, Valapattanam Kalarivathukkal Temple, Payangadi Madai Thiruvarkattu Bhagavathi Temple etc., were over crowded with devotees who visited the temples to see traditional 'Kani'.

LDF not to project anyone as Chief Ministerial candidate

Ruling Left Democratic Front Convener V.S.Achuthanandan said that the Marxist led LDF would not project anyonee, including himself, as the Chief Ministerial candidate in the May 10 assembly elections.

Speaking after inaugurating 'Election 2001' at the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, he said that in the event of the LDF coming to power, the Chief Minister would be choses by the CPI (M) to be endorsed by the LDF as was done earlier.

Achuthanandan, who is contesting from Malampuzha, said the crisis in the opposition Congress (I) over allotment of seats would benefit the LDF to some extent.

CPM ACTIVIST STABBED TO DEATH NEAR KUDIYANMALA

CPM Activist, Puthussery Rajeevan (22) stabbed to death at Mambalm near Kudiyanmala. In this connection, the police is in search of a BJP activist, Chullippallath Puthusseri Sasi.

The incident happened on Tuesday morning at about 9.30 when Rajeevan was reading the newspaper near from the shop of Ellichuvattil Shaju.

The police said that there is no politics involved in this incident and it is the result of personal vendetta.

MUSLIM LEAGUE FAILED TO ALLOT SEATS TO WOMEN

Muslim League is the only political party in the State, which had refused to field any women candidate in the forthcoming Assembly election. The UDF had allotted 23 seats to the league and they refused to spare even a single seat for the woman.

The Muslim women constitute 12 per cent of the women in the State and they form a major vote bank for the league. Interestingly, it was the communist party, CPI (M), which had fielded a woman candidate, Ms. KK Ajitha in Aluva. Her opponent is K Mohammed Ali, who is seeking to return to the Assembly for the sixth time.

The League had thrown a surprise of sorts in the 1996 election by fielding Ms. Khamarunnisa Anvar from Kozhikode II. However, she lost the poll. More like her were expected in 2001. But the party had belied the hopes of the community.

The League, which opposes one-third reservation for women, was forced to field women in the panchayats election due to the constitutional requirement of 30 per cent reservation. The same is not the case with the Assembly election.

The League, which represents the interests of the community in general, has an added responsibility of uplifting the women in the community, which is the most backward section in the State. But the leadership is yet to wake up to those

BJP ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES FOR 48 SEATS

BJP has released the names of their candidates for 48 Assembly seats for the forthcoming Election.

NOTED FILM DIRECTOR, JESY PASSED AWAY
The noted Film Director, Jesy (62) passed away. The end happened at his Cochin Residence on 10th April, 2001 morning. He has directed more than 40 films including Purappad, Neeyethra Dhanya etc.

3 CONGRESS (I) REBELS WILL CONTEST

There will be three I group rebel candidates in the coming elections in Kerala. Kottayam, Aranmula and Kayamkulam are the three constituencies where rebels candidates contest. In Aranmula are the three constituencies where rebels candidates contest. In Aramula Maleth Sarala Devi will be the candidate. Sarathchandra Prasad and Rajmohan Unnithan will contest Kottayam and Kayamkulam respectively. At the same time, if high command is ready to take some actions in favour of I group, then will withdraw these candidates.

In the last assembly election, I group contest in 46 seats. Now Congress contest in 88 seats and so I group argues for 44 seats.

At the same time, to solve the recent development in Kerala politics, K. Muralidharan will elected as the K.P.C.C. President. There is a chance for it - one leader said. And, there is a possibility to have some changes in the candidates list, in the last moment.

YOUTH CONGRESS ACTIVISTS BURN AZAD EFFIGY

Youth Congress activists and supporters of Senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran took out a march in the city and burnt AICC General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad in effigy to protest against the 'raw deal' for the Karunakaran faction in the finalisation of party tickets for the May 10 Assembly elections.

Amid slogan shouting, about a hundred activists came to the main gate of the state Secretariat here this evening and burnt the effigy of the Congress leader who, as AICC General Secretary in charge of Kerala, was a key player in the demonstration.

The effigy carried the placards 'Ghulam Nabi Azad' and 'High Command.'

The Karunakaran faction in the Congress had last night decided to takes on the high command by not involving any of the central leaders of the party in the campaining in the 34 Constituencies in which its candidates are contesting.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the faction held at the residence of Karunakaran who resigned from the Congress Working Committee as permanent invitee to protest against the alleged 'humiliation' meted out to his faction.

BJP WILL DISCUSS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN KERALA POLITICS

The BJP's Central leadership will discuss the latest developments in Kerala Monday and finalise the party's strategy for the May 10 Assembly election in the State.

The BJP Parliamentary Board would take up the list of possible candidates for the elections at its meeting in Delhi and is likely to announced the final list tomorrow itself, according to a party release here.

Party State President C.K. Padmanabhan, General Secretary P.P. Mukundan and vice-president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai left for Delhi with the provisional list of candidates prepared by the State unit.

The BJP Central leadership is keenly watching the latest development in the State in the wake of veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran resigning from the Congress Working Committee as a permanent invitee.

C.V. BALAKRISHNAN FELICITATED

The Kerala Sahithya Academy Award Winner, Shri C.V. Balakrishnan is felicitated by Annur Sanjayan Smaraka Grandhalayam.

While inaugurating the function, P. Valsala, noted story wiriter mentioned that a writer gets self satisfaction only when he is approved by his readers. She said, by writing 'Atmavinu Sariyennu Thonunna Karyangal', Shri Balakrishnan has become custodian of the history.

On his reply, Shri C.V. Balakrishnan said that, the Annur Sanjayan Smaraka Library provided him the background for his smooth entry into literature. The felicitation was performed by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy Secretary, Shri P. Appukuttan.