Kerala government will help kin of landslide victims, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Idukki: Kerala government will ensure rehabilitation of families of those who died in the landslide at Pettimudi in Idukki district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, state Ministers, people's representatives and government officials, along with the Chief Minister, visited the scene of the tragedy to assess the situation.
After an evaluation meeting at Munnar near here, Vijayan appreciated the rescue workers, who have been engaged in search and rescue operations since August 7.
"After the tragedy, only a few members of many families are alive. There are children among the survivors and in those families. Their education will have to be continued.
The government will have to identify a new place for constructing houses for them," Vijayan said. He said the state government has asked a tea estate company to assist the government in identifying a place for building the houses.
"The state government will take care of the educational expenses of the children and the medical expenses of the injured. At the meeting, the current situation of the row of house where the workers resided, was drawn to the attention of the authorities. The government will consider that too," Vijayan said.
A mound of earth and slush had flattened a row of 20 one-room houses made of tin and asbestos sheets, which housed at least 82 workers and their families at Pettimudi. The toll in the landslide stands at 55 with three more bodies being recovered on Wednesday from the debris.
The rescue operations, led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are continuing for the seventh day on Thursday and a search is on for 15 more missing persons.
The Ministers M M Mani and E Chandarashekharan, and Dean Kuriakose, MP, and E S Bijimol, MLA, were among those who accompanied the Chief Minister and the Governor during the visit to the landslip site.
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Leadership issue: Everyone will welcome if Kharge becomes K'taka CM, says Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said everyone in the ruling Congress party will welcome if AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior politician with a lot of experience, becomes the chief minister of the state.
He also asserted that fulfilling the promise of "good governance" made to the people of the state was important, amid the ongoing internal politics and confusion within the party regarding the chief minister change issue.
The statements have come amid speculation within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for Assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two Assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
"If he (Kharge) becomes (the CM) we will be very happy, because he is a senior politician with a lot of experience. If he becomes CM, we will all welcome it," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question whether Kharge himself has a desire to become the CM.
When asked why Kharge, who is from Karnataka, has not been decisive in resolving the state's leadership issue and whether he was postponing the issue because he wants a Dalit to become the CM, the home minister said, "We don't have much information on the CM change matter appearing in the media, at least I'm not aware of it. So it is not right to speak on it."
The Congress high command will decide whatever they have to, as they are aware of everything in the state. "We are fortunate to have Kharge, who is from the state, as the AICC president," he said.
Kharge is highly experienced and he is aware of everything about the state's politics as he has personally experienced it. "He knows everything and there is no need for us to tell him. I will not say much," he added.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
Regarding senior Congress MLA K N Rajanna's statement demanding a "Dalit CM", Parameshwara himself a senior Dalit leader in the party, said, "Let's not speak about it. I don't want to unnecessarily get into that. Without knowing things, let's not comment on them."
Parameshwara downplayed the ministers' visit to Delhi, stating that it is a common thing, mostly concerning official matters. "Whenever we go to Delhi, we will also visit the AICC office and meet our national leaders," he said.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa on Monday met Kharge and general secretary (in charge of Karnataka) Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi and reportedly requested them to address the leadership issue. Both Jarkiholi and Mahadevappa are considered close to Siddaramaiah.
On the expectation that the Congress high command will put an end to confusion on the leadership issue by May 15, the home minister said, "More than anything, we have promised the people of the state that we will give good governance. Fulfilling that is important. Internal politics and confusions will always be there."
MLAs and leaders who want Shivakumar to be elevated as CM have recently claimed they expect some "sweet news" by May 15, which is their leader's birthday.
Regarding plans to hold the AHINDA convention in Hubballi to mark 25 years of the AHINDA movement, the home minister said, the movement was aimed at the welfare of its communities and the convention has to happen to resolve the issues they face.
AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) is considered as the strong support base of Siddaramaiah and also the Congress party.
