News Broadcasting
TV18 plans early conversion of warrants
MUMBAI: TV18 is considering a proposal to advance the conversion of warrants which would fetch around Rs 550 million, based on the current market price.
Issued by the way of a rights issue in November 2004, the warrants consist of two categories (Series A and B) with conversion periods of 18 months and 36 months respectively. Each warrant will get converted into one ordinary share of TV18 at a discount of 25 per cent to the prevailing market price.
TV18 intends to use the cash raised via this exercise to fund its expansion plans in the news space, the company said in a release on Saturady. TV18 runs two business news channels – CNBC TV18 (English) and CNBC Awaaz (Hindi). The Group is now ready to embark upon its next phase of growth, the release added.
TV18 is planning to launch an English and a Hindi language general news channel. The company expects its first channel to launch before the end of the year.
To finance this expansion, the company is now recommending an early conversion of the warrants at the same terms as stated in the Offer Document. The company expects to raise approximately Rs 550 million from this conversion (based on current market price). The promoters also intend to convert their entire holdings of warrants. The conversion of the warrants will allow the retail shareholders to get TV18 shares at a discount to the market price and is an attractive opportunity to participate in the growth of the company, the release said.
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.
