Kerala polls: CM Vijayan to contest from Dharmadam; 6 CPI-M ministers in fray; FM Isaac denied ticket

News Network

March 10, 2021

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and six of his Cabinet colleagues have been fielded by the ruling CPI(M) for the April 6 state assembly elections, while Finance minister Thomas Issac has been denied a ticket this time.

The party on Wednesday released the list of 83 of its 85 candidates including nine CPI(M) supported independents. Health Minister K K Shailaja, Labour minister T P Ramakrishnan, Power minister M M Mani, Devaswom minister Kadakkampally Surendran, Fisheries minister Mercykutty Amma and Local Self Government minister A C Moideen are trying their luck once again.

Vijayan will contest from Dharmadam constituency in Kannur district. However, five ministers have been denied seats -- T M Thomas Isaac, E P Jayarajan, R Ravindranath, G Sudhakaran and A K Balan as the party decided not to provide seats to those who had been elected twice. M V Govindan Master, K Radhakrishan, P Rajeev and K N Balagopal are the state secretariat members who are contesting.

There are 12 women candidates in the list. Candidates for Manjeshwaram and Devikulam constituencies would be announced later, Acting state secretary, A Vijayaraghavan, told reporters here.

The party's aim was not to deny tickets to anyone, but to give an opportunity to new candidates, he said. The CPI(M) led LDF is eyeing a second consecutive term this time. In the 2016 polls, the LDF had won 91 seats in the 140- member assembly.

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Udupi school girl Shagun Verma Hegde to lead India U-15 volleyball team in China

coastaldigest.com news network

December 2,2025

Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

• She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

• Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

• The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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