Ramesh Chennithala hails communal harmony initiatives, criticises ‘Kerala Story 2’ movie
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday praised recent instances of communal harmony in the state and criticised the film ‘Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond’, saying the people of the state have rejected divisive politics.
In a Facebook post, Chennithala referred to the appeal by the Imam of Palayam mosque here to open religious places and homes during Ramadan to provide drinking water and resting spaces for women participating in the Attukal Pongala festival, which will be held here on March 3.
He also cited the initiative of the Sree Poobanam Kuzhi Temple at Thachangad, Kasaragod, which organised a community iftar in the temple courtyard for people from the Muslim community who could not participate in the temple’s event due to Ramadan fasting.
Chennithala said such gestures reflect the true spirit of Kerala and demonstrate the state’s tradition of love and coexistence.
“This strong bond of love and coexistence is our real ‘Kerala Story’. Only love and brotherhood can counter Islamophobia and hatred,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that the film ‘Kerala Story 2 Goes Beyond’ was produced with the agenda of spreading hatred and undermining the state’s communal harmony.
He claimed that the people of Kerala rejected the movie, citing reports that some shows were cancelled due to poor audience response.
He referred to an incident in Kozhikode where a screening was reportedly called off after only two tickets were sold.
Chennithala said the rejection of the film shows that attempts to defame Kerala and promote communal politics would not succeed in the state.
He added that the people of Kerala have once again made it clear that divisive politics has no place in the state.
A division bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday paved the way for the release of 'The Kerala Story 2-Goes Beyond' by staying a single judge order that had put the film’s screening on hold for 15 days.
The single judge, on Thursday, had held that prima facie there was a manifest non-application of mind by the censor board.
The judge also noted that “the possibility of communal disharmony or denigration of a community [was] prima facie involved in the movie,” and that its release without scrutiny by higher authorities would be legally improper.
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Annamalai left out of BJP’s candidate list for Tamil Nadu polls, party cites High Command decision
Chennai/New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party has released its list of 27 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, triggering political discussion after the absence of former state president K Annamalai from the roster.
Despite being widely seen as the party’s most prominent face in the state and a key figure in its southern expansion strategy, Annamalai was not fielded in the list. Senior leaders, including Tamilisai Soundararajan from Mylapore, Vanathi Srinivasan from Coimbatore North, and Union Minister L. Murugan from Avinashi, have been nominated.
Responding to questions on the omission, Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagendran said the decision was taken by the party’s central leadership. He expressed confidence that all 27 candidates would emerge victorious in the polls.
Annamalai, a former IPS officer who joined the BJP in 2020 and rapidly rose to prominence, had earlier been replaced as state chief by Nagendran. Known for his aggressive political style and grassroots outreach, he has been instrumental in amplifying the party’s presence in Tamil Nadu, a state traditionally dominated by Dravidian parties.
In a message posted on X, Annamalai congratulated the candidates and reaffirmed his commitment to the party. He said he would campaign actively for BJP and NDA nominees, expressing confidence in the alliance securing a decisive mandate. He also criticised the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government, calling it ineffective and self-serving.
The BJP is contesting the elections as part of the National Democratic Alliance led by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Seat-sharing arrangements allocate 169 constituencies to the AIADMK, 27 to the BJP, 18 to the Pattali Makkal Katchi, 11 to the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, five to the Tamil Maanila Congress, and one seat each to the Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi and Puratchi Bharatham.
Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23 across all 234 constituencies, with counting scheduled for May 4. The primary contest is expected between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, although actor-turned-politician Vijay is also positioning himself as a potential challenger, raising the possibility of a multi-cornered contest.
#WATCH | Chennai | Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran says, "A list of 27 candidates has been released by the BJP High Command... All the 27 candidates will surely win this time..."
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2026
On Annamalai's name not appearing in the recently released list, he says, "This is a… https://t.co/pDd0HodSAW pic.twitter.com/29gkGK9AaP
