Old rivals will fight it out in the high ranges again
The Hindu
Two major fronts see a shift in loyalty among constituents, draw battle lines
Green-capped mountains and light showers, accompanied by cool breeze in the evenings, have helped Idukki maintain a façade of tranquillity this summer. But, beneath the calm is simmering a high-octane political battle. From construction ban to title deeds and agrarian distress to a split in the Kerala Congress (M), issues abound its poll-scape, which began heating up much before the official announcement of the Assembly elections. At the same time, this also happens to be a battle where pressure groups other than major outfits such as the High Range Protection Council and the Pembilai Orumai do not have much of a role to play. The Catholic Church, which has been in the forefront of several public agitations over the decades, remains surprisingly silent this time.A crowd comprising farmers, researchers, professors, students, and horticulture enthusiasts thronged the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, on Friday for the inaugural ceremony of the Triphal Diversity Show which showcased 300 mango, 100 jackfruit, and 100 banana genotypes in collaboration with ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli.
The State government on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Director-General of Police, Manish Kharbikar of the Economic Offences division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the alleged multi-crore scam in the government-run Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.