Keralam MPs mark Thiruvonam with satyagraha against Palakkad railway division split

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president and State Minister for Power Sunny Joseph inaugurating a satyagraha by UDF MPs in front of the Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager’s office at Olavakode on Wednesday (August 26, 2026). | Photo Credit: ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA More than a dozen United Democratic Front (UDF) MPs and several MLAs staged a satyagraha in front of the Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager’s office at Olavakode on Wednesday (August 26, 2026), demanding that the proposed truncation of the Palakkad railway division be dropped.The protest was held on Thiruvonam as Keralites across the world celebrated Onam. The MPs chose the day of celebration for the protest, stressing their demand to retain the Mangaluru region with the Palakkad division rather than transfer it to the Mysuru division.The satyagraha, coordinated by Palakkad MP V.K. Sreekandan, began at 9.30 a.m. and continued until evening. MPs E.T. Mohammed Basheer, M.K. Raghavan, Rajmohan Unnithan, Anto Antony, Benny Behanan, Shafi Parambil and Dean Kuriakose joined Mr. Sreekandan in the protest.Revenue lossesThey said the proposed move would weaken the Palakkad railway division and cause significant revenue losses. Mr. Raghavan said the division could lose more than ₹1,000 crore in annual revenue if Mangaluru was removed. He also warned that the move could affect the division’s viability and lead to the transfer of hundreds of railway employees. UDF MPs sitting in satyagraha in front of the Palakkad Divisional Railway Manager’s office at Olavakode on Wednesday (August 26, 2026), demanding withdrawal of the decision to truncate Palakkad railway division. | Photo Credit: ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA Mr. Basheer said removing Mangaluru from the Palakkad division would affect its revenue, connectivity and future development. He urged the Centre to withdraw the proposal and retain Mangaluru in the Palakkad division.Mr. Sreekandan said the protest would be taken to New Delhi if the Union government and the Railways did not reconsider the proposal. The MPs would continue their protest in front of Parliament, he said.Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Minister for Power Sunny Joseph inaugurated the satyagraha and warned of consequences if the Railways went ahead with the move.Minister for Welfare of SC/ST and Backward Classes K.A. Thulasi and MLAs Sumesh Achuthan and Ramesh Pisharody also joined the satyagraha.UDF leaders and local representatives, including former MLAs C.P. Mohammed and K.A. Chandran, DCC president A. Thankappan, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) district president Marakkar Marayamangalam and KPCC general secretary C. Chandran expressed solidarity with the protest. Published - August 27, 2026 07:38 pm IST