News Broadcasting
FIBP clears Star News FDI proposal
NEW DELHI: The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) today cleared the application by Media Content Communications Services (MCCS) India, the holding company for the Star News venture here, to infuse foreign equity amounting to 26 per cent from Star News Broadcasting Ltd.
MCCS has sought permission from the Indian government to uplink content for the Star News channel.
The clearance came after the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry gave its go ahead for the same.
What this means is that now the impediments have been removed for a final permission from the I&B ministry for long-term uplink from India, senior I&B ministry officials said. However, the I&B ministry can still ask questions and seek clarifications from MCCS.
MCCS proposes to have a paid-up capital of Rs 625 million according to an application submitted to the government on 22 September.
The authorised share capital of the joint venture between the Aveek Sarkar family-controlled ABP Pvt Ltd and Star Group Pvt Ltd, the application had said, would be Rs 700 million, while the current paid-up capital is Rs 100,000.
MCCS is the company that would uplink and look after the affairs of Star News from India wherein ABP holds 74 per cent equity stake and Star has a 26 per cent shareholding. The former shareholders of MCCS, including ad man Suhel Seth and Balaji Telefilms chairman and actor Jeetendra, were bought out by ABP.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
