The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns and disapproves the remarks of M. M. Mani,

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns and disapproves the remarks of M. M. Mani, Secretary of the Idukki District Committee of the Party, which has sought to justify the retaliatory killing of political opponents. These remarks have nothing whatsoever to do with the Party?s approach and politics. Appropriate action will be taken regarding this matter.

ILLEGAL RECRUITMET - An Omani national and two Keralites were arrested

An Omani national and two Keralites were arrested by the Poojapura police here for conducting unauthorised recruitments in the city.
Abu Omar of Oman and Pradeep of Mangattukadavu near Tirumala and Anilkumar
of Poovar were arrested for conducting recruitment drive without getting the prior permission of the authorities.

The three were arrested from a private hotel at Thirumala, where they were residing. The police said that the arrests were made after they received a tip off that the accused were recruiting workers to Oman without permission.

The police confirmed that Abu Omar was the proprietor of a recruiting agency in Oman and Pradeep and Anilkumar were his employees. They were in the state to recruit trained carpenters to Oman.
But they hadn’t obtained necessary sanctions from the Emigration Department. The arrested were charged with relevant sections of IPC and Emigration act, the police said.

Reject Mani’s vulgar opinions: Achuthanandan

Commenting on CPI (M) Idukki district secretary M.M. Mani’s controversial remarks, CPI (M)’s octogenarian central committee member V.S. Achuthanandan said Mani’s statement was contrary to facts.

“As the party’s State secretary at that time, I can authoritatively say that what he said is contrary to facts. I hope that you will reject Mani’s vulgar opinions with the contempt they deserve,” he said.

MM Mani had openly claimed on Friday that the party had a history of ruthlessly murdering its political enemies and would continue to do so if it was necessary.

Mani’s statement came at the most inopportune moment imaginable for the Marxist party as it was immersed in the difficult task of proving its innocence in the May 4 murder of rebel leader T.P. Chandrasekharan in Kozhikode district by repeatedly saying that killing political enemies had never been a policy of the CPI (M).

Petrol price raised by Rs 6.28 Rupee per litre in Kerala it is about Rs 8

In the steepest ever hike, petrol price was increased today by Rs 7.50 a litre with effect from midnight tonight. State-owned oil firms said they will raise petrol price by Rs 6.28 per litre excluding local sales tax or VAT. The hike translates into Rs 7.50 per litre in Delhi. Petrol in Delhi currently costs Rs 65.64 a litre and after the increase it will be priced at Rs 73.14 per litre.In Kerala petrol price increased by 8 rupee per litre

Earlier in the day, the Left parties had opposed any such move saying it will be a cruel blow to the people reeling under price rise.

With rupee depreciation leading to jump in oil import bill, petroleum minister S Jaipal Reddy on Tuesday said there is an immediate need to raise fuel prices, but refused to say when the hike will actually take place. "It (price increase) is very essential but (before hiking rates) we have to talk to political parties," he told reporters.

CPI M GENERAL SECRETARY KARAT CONFORMS GETTING ACHUTHANANDAN's LETTER

Rattled by CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan’s confirmation that he had indeed sent a letter to the party leadership, CPI-M began a damage control exercise stating that media reports regarding the missive were misleading and intended to create confusion.

CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat, in a brief statement from Delhi, said media in Kerala was indulging in a lot of speculation on the letter sent to him by Achuthanandan.

“I wish to state that a letter has been received. However, reports in the media regarding the letter are misleading. They seem to be intended to create confusion,” Karat said.

Significantly, while confirming he had shot off a letter to the leadership, Achuthanandan did not deny any portion of the reports that appeared in the press as the contents of the letter, which reportedly sought an overhaul of party leadership in the state.

“Yes I did write to the central leadership. I do not intend to share the contents of the letter with media”, Achuthanandan said in Kayamkulam in Alappuzha District.

As per media reports, the senior leader said to have written that he was not interested in continuing as opposition leader if the central leadership did not intervene in the affairs of the party in the state being led ‘astray’ under the leadership of Vijayan.

Vijayan, who had dubbed the reports as “mere media creation,” today maintained Karat had confirmed that the content of the letter was not as reported.

‘…Karat had confirmed that the content of the letter as propagated by the media was not correct. It could be a media creation’, he told reporters in Kannur adding he was also not aware of the letter’s content.

The latest turn in the long-running feud between the two leaders has come at a time when CPI-M is locked in a grim assembly bye-election from Neyyattinkara.

The bypoll has been caused by resignation of the assembly seat by R Selvaraj who won from the segment in 2011 on CPI-M ticket. After stunning the party two months ago, Selvaraj is back in the fray as a Congress candidate.

To the LDF’s discomfiture, the Congress-led UDF has been going to town with the CPIM’s internal squabbles.

Achuthanandan, sulking after he failed to get into the polit bureau in the recently held party congress, was waiting for a chance to strike back at the state leadership.

He has seized on the recent murder of T P Chandrasekharan, leader of Revolutionary Marxist Party, a former CPI-M activist from Onchiyam in Kozhikode district, after which the CPI-M has come under shadow of doubt.

VS expresses his dissatisfaction in continuing as opposition leader

V S Achuthanandan has come to the fore with another bolt for the CPM which is already facing accusations of involvement in the murder of RMP leader TP Chandrasekharan. He has sent a letter to CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and politburo member Sitaram Yechuri expressing his dissatisfaction in continuing as opposition leader.

The letter says the party is moving with the stand encouraging ‘political murders’. If this trend is followed, the party is sure to collapse. Party activists have lost faith in the party after the murder of T P Chandrasekharan. The state and centre panels should be convened to discuss all the problems.

Hinting on Pinarayi, VS said things decided by the state leadership are not being executed. Instead of bringing those who have left the party owing to differences of opinion, calling them as renegades is not correct.

Union Minister Mullappalli denies interference in murder case probe

Rejecting allegations that he was interfering in the probe into the murder of rebel CPI-M leader T P Chandrasekharan, Union Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran today said the investigation was moving in the right direction.

'I had never spoken to any officer or intervened in the probe, I am ready for repentance, if my intervention is proved, he told PTI here.

Earlier, speaking to reporters after visiting the house of the slain Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader at nearby Onchiyam, he said the probe by the Special Investigation Team into the murder was moving in the right direction.
He said he felt there was no need to hand over the probe to any other agency. The murder was most heinous crime and the culprit and all those behind it should face the law. None would be allowed to intervene and sabotage the probe, he said.
CPI-M had taken exception to the Minister's recent comments that only 'small fishes" had been caught (in connection with the murder) and the bigger sharks would be netted, accusing him of interference in the probe.

Meanwhile, in Kottayam, state DGP Jacob Punnoose dismissed reports that the SIT had released a CPI(M) local committee Secretary under pressure following a protest by Marxist leaders including M V Jayarajan yesterday.

He told reporters that CPI-M Koothuparamba Secretary C Babu, against whom a case was registered for allegedly providing shelter to those involved in the murder, was released as he was booked under a bailable section of IPC.

Kozhikode Police said a case had been registered against Jayarajan and more than 300 other party activists for taking out the protest rally without permission and obstructing traffic.

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Revolutionary Marxist Party leader hacked to death

The CPI (M) rebel and Area Secretary of Revolutionary Marxist Party at Onchiyam, T.P. Chandrasekharan has been hacked to death by unknown assailants at Vallikkadu in Vadakara, Kozhikode district.

Chandrasekharan, who was returning home at 10:30 pm in his motorbike, was blocked by assailants who came in a van. The assailants created a tense situation by hurling bomb at the bike before hacking Chandrasekharan to death. His head was severely injured. Though he was taken to Vadakara Government Hospital, his life could not be saved.

The dead body has been brought to Kozhikode Medical Hospital mortuary. UDF will observe a state-wide hartal today as a protest against the brutal murder. Hartal will be observed between 6 am and 6 pm.

Chandrasekharan, who was expelled from CPI(M) few years back, had floated his outfit challenging the party in its stronghold Onchiyam in Vadakara area in the district.

Chandrasekhran, once a supporter of CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan, was expelled from the party after he incurred the wrath of party officials.

GANESH KUMAR CALL FOR A MEETING AT PATHANAPURAM WITH HIS FOLLOWERS

Ganesh Kumar call for a meeting at Pathanapuram with his followers. Meeting start at 7 pm .Two District Panchayath Members, Block Panchayath members,Panchayath members were present.

There is no need for me to resign, said Minister K B Ganesh Kumar. Talking to reporters here, he said the chief minister will decide on my resignation. He said this while responding to the letter given to the chief minister by the party chairman to withdraw the minister.

The minister said, “What crime I’ve committed to resign. I’ve always obeyed the party and I’ve only the ministership to lose. I too have individuality. Will not allow anybody to question it.”

HISTORY OF MAY DAY ( LABOUR DAY )

The origin of May Day is indissolubly bound up with the struggle for the shorter workday – a demand of major political significance for the working class. This struggle is manifest almost from the beginning of the factory system in the United States.

Although the demand for higher wages appears to be the most prevalent cause for the early strikes in this country, the question of shorter hours and the right to organize were always kept in the foreground when workers formulated their demands against the bosses and the government. As exploitation was becoming intensified and workers were feeling more and more the strain of inhumanly long working hours, the demand for an appreciable reduction of hours became more pronounced.

Already at the opening of the 19th century workers in the United States made known their grievances against working from "sunrise to sunset," the then prevailing workday. Fourteen, sixteen and even eighteen hours a day were not uncommon. During the conspiracy trial against the leaders of striking cordwainers in 1806, it was brought out that workers were employed as long as nineteen and twenty hours a day.

The twenties and thirties are replete with strikes for reduction of hours of work and definite demands for a 10-hour day were put forward in many industrial centers. The organization of what is considered as the first trade union in the world, the Mechanics' Union of Philadelphia, preceding by two years the one formed by workers in England, can be definitely ascribed to a strike of building trade workers in Philadelphia in 1827 for the 10-hour day. During the bakers' strike in New York in 1834 the Workingmen's Advocate reported that "journeymen employed in the loaf bread business have for years been suffering worse than Egyptian bondage. They have had to labor on an average of eighteen to twenty hours out of the twenty-four."

The demand in those localities for a 10-hour day soon grew into a movement, which, although impeded by the crisis of 1837, led the federal government under President Van Buren to decree the 10-hour day for all those employed on government work. The struggle for the universality of the 10-hour day, however, continued during the next decades. No sooner had this demand been secured in a number of industries than the workers began to raise the slogan for an 8-hour day. The feverish activity in organizing labor unions during the fifties gave this new demand an impetus which, however, was checked by the crisis of 1857. The demand was, however, won in a few well-organized trades before the crisis. That the movement for a shorter workday was not only peculiar to the United States, but was prevalent wherever workers were exploited under the rising capitalist system, can be seen from the fact that even in far away Australia the building trade workers raised the slogan "8 hours work, 8 hours recreation and 8 hours rest" and were successful in securing this demand in 1856.

Eight-Hour Movement Started in America

The 8-hour day movement which directly gave birth to May Day, must, however, be traced to the general movement initiated in the United States in 1884. However, a generation before a national labor organization, which at first gave great promise of developing into a militant organizing center of the American working class, took up the question of a shorter workday and proposed to organize a broad movement in its behalf. The first years of the Civil War, 1861-1862, saw the disappearance of the few national trade unions which had been formed just before the war began, especially the Molders' Union and the Machinists' and Blacksmiths' Union. The years immediately following, however, witnessed the unification on a national scale of a number of local labor organizations, and the urge for a national federation of all these unions became apparent. On August 20, 1866, there gathered in Baltimore delegates from three scores of trade unions who formed the National Labor Union. The movement for the national organization was led by William H. Sylvis, the leader of the reconstructed Molders' Union, who, although a young man, was the outstanding figure in the labor movement of those years. Sylvis was in correspondence with the leaders of the First International in London and helped to influence the National Labor Union to establish relations with the General Council of the International.

It was at the founding convention of the National Labor Union in 1866 that the following resolution was passed dealing with the shorter workday:

The first and great necessity of the present, to free labor of this country from capitalist slavery, is the passing of a law by which 8 hours shall be the normal working day in all states in the American union. We are resolved to put forth all our strength until this glorious result is attained.

The same convention voted for independent political action in connection with the securing of the legal enactment of the 8-hour day and the "election of men pledged to sustain and represent the interests of the industrial classes."

The program and policies of the early labor movement, although primitive and not always sound, were based, nevertheless, on healthy proletarian instinct and could have served as starting points for the development of a genuine revolutionary labor movement in this country were it not for the reformist misleaders and capitalist politicians who later infested the labor organizations and directed them in wrong channels. Thus 65 years ago, the national organization of American labor, the N. L. U., expressed itself against "capitalist slavery" and for independent political action.

Eight-hour leagues were formed as a result of the agitation of the National Labor Union; and through the political activity which the organization developed, several state governments adopted the 8-hour day on public work and the U. S. Congress enacted a similar law in 1868.

Sylvis continued to keep in touch with the International in London. Due to his influence as president of the organization, the National Labor Union voted at its convention in 1867 to cooperate with the international working class movement and in 1869 it voted to accept the invitation of the General Council and send a delegate to the Basle Congress of the International. Unfortunately Sylvis died just before the N. L. U. convention, and A. C. Cameron, the editor of the Workingmen's Advocate, published in Chicago, was sent as delegate in his stead. In a special resolution the General Council mourned the death of this promising young American labor leader. "The eyes of all were turned upon Sylvis, who, as a general of the proletarian army, had an experience of ten years, outside of his great abilities – and Sylvis is dead." The passing of Sylvis was one of the contributing causes of the decay which soon set in and led to the disappearance of the National Labor Union.

May Day Becomes International

On July 14, 1889, the hundredth anniversary of the fall of the Bastille, there assembled in Paris leaders from organized revolutionary proletarian movements of many lands, to form once more an international organization of workers, patterned after the one formed 25 years earlier by their great teacher, Karl Marx. Those assembled at the foundation meeting of what was to become the Second International heard from the American delegates about the struggle in America for the 8-hour day during 1884-1886, and the recent rejuvenation of the movement. Inspired by the example of the American workers, the Paris Congress adopted the following resolution:

The Congress decides to organize a great international demonstration, so that in all countries and in all cities on one appointed day the toiling masses shall demand of the state authorities the legal reduction of the working day to eight hours, as well as the carrying out of other decisions of the Paris Congress. Since a similar demonstration has already been decided upon for May 1, 1890, by the American Federation of Labor at its Convention in St. Louis, December, 1888, this day is accepted for the international demonstration. The workers of the various countries must organize this demonstration according to conditions prevailing in each country.

The clause in the resolution which speaks of the organization of the demonstration with regard to the objective conditions prevailing in each country gave some parties, particularly the British movement, an opportunity to interpret the resolution as not mandatory upon all countries. Thus at the very formation of the Second International, there were parties who looked upon it as merely a consultative body, functioning only during Congresses for the exchange of information and opinions, but not as a centralized organization, a revolutionary world proletarian party, such as Marx had tried to make the First International a generation before. When Engels wrote to his friend Serge in 1874, before the First International was officially disbanded in America, "I think that the next International, formed after the teachings of Marx, will have become widely known during the next years, will be a purely Communist International," he did not foresee that at the very launching of the rejuvenated International there would be present reformist elements who viewed it as a voluntary federation of Socialist parties, independent of each other and each a law unto itself.

But May Day, 1890, was celebrated in many European countries, and in the United States the Carpenters' Union and other building trades entered into a general strike for the 8-hour day. Despite the Exception Laws against the Socialists, workers in the various German industrial cities celebrated May Day, which was marked by fierce struggles with the police. Similarly in other European capitals demonstrations were held, although the authorities warned against them and the police tried to suppress them. In the United States, the Chicago and New York demonstrations were of particularly great significance. Many thousands paraded the streets in support of the 8-hour day demand; and the demonstrations were closed with great open air mass meetings at central points.

At the next Congress, in Brussels, 1891, the International reiterated the original purpose of May First, to demand the 8-hour day, but added that it must serve also as a demonstration in behalf of the demands to improve working conditions, and to ensure peace among the nations. The revised resolution particularly stressed the importance of the "class character of the May First demonstrations" for the 8-hour day and the other demands which would lead to the "deepening of the class struggle." The resolution also demanded that work be stopped "wherever possible." Although the reference to strikes on May First was only conditional, the International began to enlarge upon and concretize the purposes of the demonstrations. The British Laborites again showed their opportunism by refusing to accept even the conditional proposal for a strike on May First, and together with the German Social-Democrats voted to postpone the May Day demonstration to the Sunday following May First.

MAY DAY IN INDIA

The First Labour Day in India is celebrated in Chennai on May 1, 1923 hosted by Labour Kisan Party. Singaravelar leader of The Labour Kistan Party arranged two meetings to celebrate this occasion. Labour Day in India is celebrated in order to honor the contribution of working men and women. In this processions to defend their rights and safeguard their interests.

Do you know the history of Labour Day. Labour Day starts on May 1, 1886. On this day, labour unions in USA decided to go on a strike with the demand workers should not be allowed to work more than 8 hours in a day. Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world that resulted from the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. The majority of countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1, and it is popularly known as May Day and International Workers' Day. In many nations it is a "Workers Holiday" commemorating the Chicago’s Haymarket Massacre of 1886. Workers were shot and killed by police while striking for an eight-hour work day.

Bangaru Laxman sentenced to 4 years in prison for taking bribe

Former Bharatiya Janata Party president Bangaru Laxman was sentenced on Saturday to four years in jail by a Delhi court for taking a bribe of Rs one lakh in a fictitious arms deal case 11 years ago.Delivering its order to former BJP president Bangaru Laxman, convicted for accepting Rs one lakh bribe in the 2001 fake arms deal case, the Delhi court sentenced 4-year rigorous jail term and Rs one lakh fine.

“Time to shun sab chalta hai syndrome”, the court said in its judgement while Bangaru was into judicial custody for serving the sentence.

The defence lawyer said that the former BJP president, still a member of the BJP’s national executive will challenge the order appealing in the High Court.

Earlier this day, Laxman had requested the court to give relaxation in punishment, sought leniency due to his poor health. “I have health problems as I have undergone bypass surgery twice and suffering from diabetes. I have never been involved in any such case before. So, I should be given the minimum sentence,” seeking leniency in graft case, Laxman requested court in his plea.

However, CBI in favour to deliver maximum punishment sentence of five years for former president, while the politician asked to give minimum punishment of six months due to having health problems because of Laxman’s has undergone bypass surgery in twice.

Pressuring the court to be dealt severely as like various Supreme Court judgments on corruption, the CBI prosecutor Padmini Singh said, “CBI has been able to prove the case against Bangaru so we want maximum punishment for him under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.”

In his 40 years political career, Laxman, moreover, having top ministry profile had no case such like this and no civil or criminal case has been lodged against him.
But on Friday, 72 years old minister was convicted under Section 9 of the Prevention of Corruption Act with bribery guilty in the fake arms deal case, permitting the defence ministry to award them a contract to supply thermal binoculars to the Army.

After arrest in charge of “taking gratification, for exercise of personal influence with public servant”, he held in custody in Tihar Jail and one day later produced before Special CBI Judge.

Bangaru Laxman( Former President of BJP ) convicted in Graft case for accepting bribe

The septuagenarian was caught on camera accepting Rs 1 lakh from a newsportal journalists posing as arms dealers from the Britain-based West End International, in a sting operation. Laxman was seen pulling strings in the Defence Ministry to sway a contract of thermal binoculars for the Army in favour of his benefactors. The CBI inquired into the resulting scandal.

The case is unique for being the first in the country wherein a person has been convicted after being exposed in a sting operation.

Holding Laxman guilty, Additional Sessions Judge Kanwal Jeet Arora said: “The CBI has been able to establish the case of accepting the bribe against Laxman. The accused stands convicted for the offence under Section 9, taking gratification for exercise of personal influence with public servant) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.”

The newsportal Tehelka. com conducted the sting operation in March 2001 and released the CD containing the episode of Laxman receiving the bribe of Rs 1 lakh, leading to the former union minister to quit the post of the BJP national president.

The judge refused to hear Laxman’s bail plea. A visibly shocked Laxman, who was accompanied by his daughter, did not comment on the verdict. He was taken to the Tihar jail and will be produced before the court on Saturday morning when the quantum of the sentence will be pronounced.

The CBI charge sheet said journalists from Tehelka had eight meetings with Laxman between December 23, 2000, and January 7, 2001, posing as representatives of a “supplier of defence-related products.” The probe agency alleged that Laxman had accepted Rs 1 lakh as kickback.

“Tehelka portal scribes, impersonating as representatives of West End International, had held eight meetings with Laxman between December 23, 2000, and January 7, 2001,” the CBI charge sheet said.

Laxman’s former personal secretary T Satyamurthy, a co-accused, was pardoned by a trial court after he turned an approver in the case.
The case so far
* Dec 23, 2000, to Jan 7, 2001: An undercover journalist of Tehelka, posing as an arms dealer, holds eight meetings with Bangaru Laxman, all part of a sting operation

* Jan 5, 2001: Bangaru Laxman accepts a bribe of Rs1 lakh from the fake arms dealer

* March 13, 2001: Tehelka releases the CD of the sting operation, “Operation Westend”

* May 2, 2011: Charges framed against Bangaru Laxman

* April 27, 2012: Delhi court convicts Bangaru Laxman and sends him to jail

How Rajiv Gandhi protected Quattrocchi ( an Italian Citizen ) 25 years on, Bofors whistleblower reveals identity

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NEYYATINKARA BY ELECTION ON JUNE 2nd AND COUNTING ON JUNE 15 th

Election Commission of India on Tuesday informed that the by-poll to the Neyyattinakara Assembly constituency will be conducted on June 2 and the vote counting will be held on June 15.
The Assembly seat fell vacant following the resignation of former CPM MLA-R Selvaraj. An official notification regarding this would be announced on May 9, sources said. The last date for filing nominations is on May 16 and the scrutiny would take place on May 17, meanwhile the last date for withdrawing nominations is on May 19.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be fielding senior party leader O Rajagopal for the by-election to Neyyattinkara Assembly seat. BJP believes that by fielding a senior leader in Neyyattinkara the party can achieve a thumping victory in by-election.
Meanwhile the first worry of the CPI(M) is the fact that the LDF candidate’s rival will be Marxist renegade R Selvaraj, whose resignation as MLA representing Neyyattinkara and from the party on March 9 necessitated the by-election. Selvaraj’s candidature is a foregone conclusion but the only thing left to be known is whether he would be an official Congress candidate or an Independent.

The CPI(M) the other day declared F Lawrence, a member of the Parassala Block Panchayat and a comparatively unknown politician in Neyyattinkara, as the LDF candidate for the bypoll. Though Lawrence has several plus points in the community-ridden politics of the constituency, the CPI(M) will have to first carry out a special campaign to familiarise him with the electorate.

In the existing circumstances, the CPI(M) cannot even imagine losing the Neyyattinkara bypoll especially as it had already lost the March 17 by-election in Piravam leading to the restoration of the original strength (72) of the Congress-led ruling UDF in the 140-member State Assembly.
At the same time, the resignation of Selvaraj had brought the LDF strength down to 67 from 68.

NEYYATINKARA BY ELECTION - POLITICAL CALCULATIONS WOULD BE CHANGED DUE TO THE ENTRY OF O.RAJAGOPAL (BJP)

Though the UDF and the LDF had a score to settle with each other, BJP is trying to be an active player in the 38th bypoll in the state by pushing none other than senior leader O Rajagopal into the fray with R Selvaraj of the UDF and F Lawrence of the LDF.

“There is a conducive atmosphere for the BJP at Neyyatinkara. The situation has changed drastically over the days after the resignation of� Selvaraj. We have been receiving requests from many quarters for putting up a strong fight against the minority appeasement by both the fronts. Hence we proposed Rajettan,” says BJP district president Karamana Jayan.� But both the CPM and the Congress reject the BJP’s claim.

CPM says that they are relieved when heard of BJP’s plan to field Rajagopal. “It seems that they will garner their own votes in the bypoll. Earlier, BJP used to sell their votes and the UDF was the beneficiary.� But we expect they would get a maximum of 15,000 votes, as Rajagopal is contesting, and it will prove good for us,” said CPM district secretary� Kadakampally Surendran.

V S Sivakumar, the lone representative of the UDF in the Cabinet from the district and hailing from Neyyatinkara, has no doubt about the victory of Selvaraj. “He will get a thumping majority than he received in 2011. Nothing will hamper the chance of his victory as a UDF candidate,” he said.� However, BJP is eying on the resentment among the majority community at the “fifth minister” issue.
“BJP leaders had met the leaderships of both the NSS and the SNDP on several occasions,” said Jayan.

The present Neyyatinkara constituency was carved out of Neyyatinkara and Parassala constituencies in the delimitation process. But the BJP does not want to compare Rajagopal’s performance in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections in� which these two constituencies combined could contribute only 48,218 votes to him. “His personality will make a difference now,” says Jayan.
“The real issue is the defection of the MLA. There was a minor outburst against Lawrence. But it is short-lived as the candidate is the apt one. We preferred Lawrence for his poor financial background and popularity which would make him a winner,” says Surendran.
UDF sees nothing wrong defending a candidate who made them bite the dust a year ago. “LDF candidate has a same background and not free from such allegations. In fact, we were trying to save Selvaraj who was being tormented by his own party. We are giving protection for a leader who had to quit for protecting political morality,” analysed Sivakumar.
All the three parties have started their campaign actively. BJP has even postponed their state meet scheduled from May 10 to 13 at Thrissur.

CENTRAL GOVT ( Under the UPA Chairperson Soniya Gandhi , a citizen of ITALI ) SAYS KERALA HAS NO RIGHT TO REGISTER A CASE AGAINST ITALIAN MARINES

The UPA Government at the Centre has come under sharp attack from various quarters in Kerala over Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval's submission in the Supreme Court that Italian ship Enrica Lexie was not within Indian territorial waters when the marines aboard it had allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen on February 15. Seizing on the development, the critics said ASG's submission amounted to reinforcing Italy's assertion that Indian courts had no jurisdiction to try the case since the alleged incident happened when the ship was in international waters. The family of the deceased fisherman Valentine Jalastine, the Latin Catholic Church and fishery unions have expressed shock and anguish at the position taken by the Centre's legal officer when the case came up for consideration in the apex court yesterday. The ruling Congress-led UDF in the state also found itself in a bind as ASG's submission

contradicted the stand of the government headed by Oommen Chandy which firmly held that India has every legal competence to try the case under its law. Reacting to the development, Chandy who was in New Delhi yesterday, said he would bring the matter to the notice of the Central leaders as the state had always taken the position that the victims should receive justice. The ruling front leaders, who were the target of attack from the opposition, however, drew some solace from the clarification issued by the Ministry of Shipping later in the evening that the views expressed by Harin Raval were his personal opinion. Spearheading the no-holds-barred attack on the Centre, CPI(M) stalwart VS Achuthanandan said the submission made by ASG was nothing short of a betrayal of the country and people.

In their statements, leaders of various other opposition parties made veiled digs at the Congress president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi over the development and accused the state government of playing a double game. Reacting to the development, family members of the slain fisherman Jalastine termed the ASG's submission in the apex court as "cruel".

Doramma and Derik Valentine, the deceased fisherman's wife and son, respectively, said in Kollam that it was difficult for them to understand as how the Centre could taken such a U-turn in the case after expressing solidarity with the bereaved families. Slamming the Centre's position, Archbishop Soosai Packyan of Latin Catholic community, to which both the murdered fishermen belonged, said he was at a loss to know as to why the Centre had taken such a position in the case.

Talking to reporters, the Archbishop said it was the duty of the central and state governments to ensure that the kin of victims received justice. The two fishermen were killed when the marines Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Gironi allegedly fired at their boat off Kollam coast. They were arrested on February 19 and charged with murder. Meanwhile, CPI Kerala unit secretary Pannian Ravindran said the UDF government was bound to explain to people of the state the ground on which the Additional Solicitor General had stated that international law should apply in the shooting incident.

Even the Supreme Court's judges were shocked with the affidavit, Ravindran told a meet-the-press programme organised by the Thrissur press club. "We do not expect such a stand from the Central Government when the citizens of this country have been killed", he said. It was very difficult to believe that the Solicitor General made such a statement in the apex court without the knowledge of the Central Government, he said.

Unity of CPI and CPI(M) was the need of the hour, he said adding this does not mean that the two parties should merge overnight.