Why is Mammootty facing wrath of the online Left?
A man once fiercely defended by Left online warriors is now facing their wrath, with Mammootty's personal interactions increasingly being judged through a political lens.
Pinarayi Vijayan was born on born May 24, 1945, in Kerala’s Kannur region. He is the youngest son of his Koran and Kalyani. He had 14 siblings of whom only three survived. He is married to Kamala Vijayan and has two children, a son, Vivek Kiran Vijayan and a daughter, Veena Vijayan. His wife is a retired teacher.
Pinarayi Vijayan joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1964. He was the Kannur district secretary of the Kerala Students Federation (KSF), which later became the Students Federation of India (SFI). Then he joined the Kerala State Youth Federation (KSYF), which later became the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).
Pinarayi Vijayan became the president of the state committee and was later elected as the president of the Kerala state cooperative bank.
He became the Kannur district secretary of the CPI(M) after MV Raghavan left the party. He was elected to the Kerala assembly in 1970, 1977 and 1991 from Kuthuparamba.
Pinarayi Vijayan became the minister for electric power and co-operatives in EK Nayanar’s ministry from 1996 to 1998. Following this, he became the state secretary of the CPI(M) in 1998 following the death of the incumbent Chadayan Govindan. He was elected to the party’s Politburo in 2002.
He led the party to a landslide victory in the 2006 Kerala assembly elections and the 2014 parliament elections. Pinarayi Vijayan was elected as the 12th chief minister of Kerala in 2016 and was sworn in for the second consecutive time on May 20, 2021.
The yearly “Progress Report” to mark the accountability and transparency of the ruling party was introduced by the Pinarayi Vijayan ministry.
A man once fiercely defended by Left online warriors is now facing their wrath, with Mammootty's personal interactions increasingly being judged through a political lens.
A panel’s findings on the functioning of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board threaten to turn fresh political heat on the CPI(M) and former CM Vijayan
The Kerala High Court paused the CMRL bribery cases against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family for four weeks. The CPI(M) welcomed the relief, while the BJP criticised the decision and disputed claims of vindication.
The Kerala High Court stayed FIRs and the investigation against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family for four weeks. The temporary relief prompted the CPI(M) to claim vindication and the BJP to object.
Kerala High Court stayed the VACB FIRs and investigation against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family. The relief remains temporary as the Division Bench examines their appeals.
The development comes amid a Crime Branch investigation into alleged irregularities in the PSC examination for the post of chief of the State Planning Board. The probe was later expanded to other examinations.
Keralam minister K Muraleedharan said the exemption would largely not affect the public's right to seek information about the department's functioning and assured that the government did not intend to hide anything.
Darren, who is from north India, claimed that Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi displayed a silver statue of Muhammad Ali Jinnah alongside one of Mahatma Gandhi and served beef.
The ex-CM gets a breather from SC, but his battle against a posse of probe agencies is far from over
Pinarayi Vijayan has declined to appear before the ED on October 23. The agency plans another summons after the High Court division bench considers the appeal.
Sunny Joseph defended the preliminary inquiry after the Supreme Court allowed fresh High Court appeals. He said the ruling would ease Congress criticism and urged leaders to use internal forums.
The brief reprieve for Pinarayi Vijayan and family in a case involving corporate corruption is a reminder of power’s shadow that lingers even after a change in government
The Supreme Court stayed the CMRL bribery investigation against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family for one week. The pause allows them to appeal while underscoring statutory limits on the Enforcement Directorate.
The Supreme Court stayed the CMRL bribery investigation against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family for a week. The pause enables them to challenge the FIR order before a Kerala High Court division bench.
The Supreme Court stayed the CMRL bribery investigation against Pinarayi Vijayan and his family for one week. The interim relief enables them to challenge the single judge's order before a Kerala High Court division bench.
Courts, governments and political parties have scheduled major proceedings and meetings across India. Festival celebrations and police remembrance programmes broaden the day's national significance.
K Muraleedharan defended the UDF government's preliminary enquiry into allegations against Pinarayi Vijayan in the CMRL case. He said the Cabinet-backed step was necessary before further action on the ED's letter.
A Supreme Court holiday bench will hear the YSRCP's civic poll plea and the Vijayan family's FIR challenges. The cases raise concerns over electoral access and pre-FIR hearing rights.
Sunny Joseph warned Congress leaders against airing internal differences in public. The intervention seeks to contain rifts over the CMRL case and UDF leadership.
K K Rema criticised the Kerala government's High Court stand in the CMRL payments case. She said it weakened the UDF's anti-corruption position and opposition politics' moral credibility.
Malayalam star Mammootty faced cyber attacks after visiting Kerala BJP Vice President's daughter's wedding, sparking controversy online.
The Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with the CMRL Exalogic case, asking him to appear on 23 October. The probe agency has directed him to submit details of bank accounts, fixed deposits, and movable and immovable assets in India and abroad held by him and associated entities. Additionally, copies of income tax returns filed between financial years 2016 and 2026, alongside details of funds received from CMRL or its Managing Director Sasidharan Kartha, have been sought under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
A major political row has erupted in Tamil Nadu between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam over the inauguration of the ₹300-crore Periyar Library in Coimbatore. Former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin asserted that the credit belongs to the previous DMK government for constructing the project, while Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin criticised Chief Minister Vijay for ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Meanwhile, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam targeted TVK over bribery allegations against a Salem legislator. In Chennai, the DMK and VCK staged demonstrations demanding the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Separately, the Madras High Court raised concerns over social media reels featuring children during elections. In Karnataka, Home Minister Priyank Kharge's comment comparing the Congress and Cockroach Janta Party drew sharp attacks from the Bharatiya Janata Party, while police denied CJP permission to hold protests at Town Hall.
A Bangladeshi protest group involved in the uprising against Sheikh Hasina has issued a statement extending solidarity to the CJP and democratic forces in India following mass detentions in New Delhi. The Dhaka-based group criticised the detentions of protesters, organisers, and journalists, as well as internet suspensions and security curbs at Jantar Mantar, calling for electoral accountability and institutional independence. Meanwhile, the CJP announced plans to resume demonstrations at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Delhi maintained operations across metro, rail, and commercial services, though traffic diversions persisted across central areas. The political standoff follows detentions of multiple opposition leaders during earlier protests. Additionally, a special bench of the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a contempt plea regarding detentions and curbs imposed on transit services in the national capital.
A major political face-off erupted on the streets of Delhi as demonstrations against the Chief Election Commissioner led to the detention of several opposition leaders. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was detained alongside Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, and fellow party members from South Avenue. Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal and Kerala leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan were also detained alongside Left leaders during demonstrations at Jantar Mantar. Following police action, opposition leaders took to social media to register their condemnation. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi issued a challenge to the Narendra Modi government, declaring that the opposition will not back down and asserting that democratic space is closing around ruling figures. In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party launched back-to-back counter-attacks, accusing the opposition of attempting to trigger anarchy in the national capital and alleging that Rahul Gandhi disregards constitutional protocol. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also criticised the protesters.
Opposition parties are intensifying coordination to forge a united front against the Election Commission and central agencies. CPM General Secretary M.A. Baby met AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi to discuss a joint struggle, inviting him to participate in party programmes in Kerala. The discussions focused on allegations of authoritarian functioning within the poll body, targeting of opposition leaders, and central agency actions against political figures including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Arvind Kejriwal, and Manish Sisodia. The coordination comes ahead of a key INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for 30 September, where opposition leaders plan to outline a common strategy to challenge the central government and the election watchdog.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed the state DGP to form an investigative team to probe allegations against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, and former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas based on an ED report. The inquiry centres on the CMRL monthly payments controversy, where Veena and her firm Exalogic allegedly received 2.78 crore rupees without rendering services. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office has already filed a preliminary report in an Ernakulam district court charging Veena and top CMRL officials.
In an interview, Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan outlines his administration's economic and educational roadmap, addressing youth unemployment, migration, and demographic transitions. Acknowledging the challenge of brain drain, he details plans to restructure university curricula, launch a Knowledge Valley, establish a global job watchtower, and adopt a silver economy model for an ageing population. Addressing industrial and infrastructure growth, he highlights single-window approval reforms across nineteen legislations and the promotion of port-led development under Mission Samudra. Responding to queries regarding Adani group investments in the Vizhinjam seaport, he clarifies that while the Adanis serve as concessionaires, the state government remains the ultimate owner and must advance development without conflict while securing the state's strategic interests. Furthermore, he explains his government's conditional approach to the PM SHRI scheme, emphasizing that curriculum control and school selection must remain under state authority.
In an interview, Kerala BJP Chief and Nemom MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar discusses Kerala's political landscape, governance, and economic challenges. Criticizing the past decade under the CPM, he states, "It was not a Kerala model, it was a CPM model. And that model was a very, very dysfunctional model." Chandrasekhar evaluates the state's financial crisis, emphasizing that severe debt and lack of investment pose major headwinds for Chief Minister VD Satheesan's administration. He addresses controversies surrounding UPI merchant discount rates, terming opposition criticism manufactured and affirming that consumer transactions remain unaffected. He also comments on the Vande Mataram controversy, asserting that constitutional laws must be upheld uniformly across all states.
Speaking at the India Today Roundtable, CPI(M) State Secretariat member and former Kerala minister MB Rajesh addressed the Left Democratic Front's recent electoral setback and detailed the party's introspection process. Rajesh stated that the Left conducted thorough reviews from the grassroots to the top level, identifying both objective and subjective factors behind the election results. Defending the Left's legacy, he highlighted major achievements in infrastructure development through KIIFB, high per-capita GDP growth, and strong education indicators. He dismissed allegations against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by central agencies, claiming the Enforcement Directorate is being used as a political weapon. Rajesh further alleged that the Congress-led UDF government acts as the 'B team of BJP' on key policy decisions. Asserting that the Left's core mass base remains intact, he maintained that the party will continue grassroot struggles and make a strong political comeback across Kerala and West Bengal.
This edition of Super 6 on India Today, anchored by Akshita Anand Gopal, covers major political developments across India and international headlines.
The Enforcement Directorate has approached the Kerala DGP seeking a criminal case against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena, and son-in-law Mohammed Riyaz in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited bribery case. The ED alleges that Vijayan received a bribe from CMRL via his daughter, with Mohammed Riyaz acting as a mediator. The state government stated that the ED request under Section 66 (2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has been forwarded to the Home Secretary for legal scrutiny before taking steps as per law. The CPM has termed the probe vendetta politics.
The Trinamool Congress is facing a massive internal rebellion, with senior leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claiming that nearly twenty party MPs are keen to join the NDA.
Siddaramaiah has resigned as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, facilitating the transition of leadership to DK Shivakumar.
Karnataka faces a significant political transition as the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah prepares to submit his resignation to the Governor following directives from the party high command.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will resign tomorrow after 3 pm, a Karnataka Minister has confirmed.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, marking his first official visit to the national capital.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials faced massive protests and vandalism outside the residence of the former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram.
VD Satheesan on Monday took oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram, leading a twenty-member cabinet.
The big focus of this episode of Super 6 is on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay skipping the swearing-in ceremony of Kerala chief minister-designate VD Satheesan on Monday and TVK expanding its base into Kerala following success in Tamil Nadu.