Kochi: "A new politics of performance was ushered in after Narendra Modi came to power. In the past 11 years, the Prime Minister has led us to make India the fourth largest economy in the world," Union Minister Amit Shah said after inaugurating the Manorama News Conclave at the Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre here on Friday. The Union Minister also expressed confidence that the BJP would secure 25 per cent of the vote in Kerala in the upcoming local body elections, saying Keralites were trapped in a vicious cycle between the UDF and the LDF.

The day-long event, anchored on the theme ‘India – pace and progress’, brings together political leaders, industry voices, film personalities and policy experts for sharp debates and insightful conversations. “The world is moving at a fast pace. India and Kerala, too, are racing ahead — but are we moving at the pace required? That is why we chose the theme ‘India – pace and progress’,” said Jayant Mammen Mathew, Executive Editor of Malayala Manorama and Director of MMTV, in his welcome address. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan delivered the valedictory address in the evening, marking the finale of a conclave that seeks to assess India’s journey — its speed, direction, hopes and challenges. In a sharp retort to Shah, Pinarayi said no one can stop him from dreaming of power in Kerala. "Nobody can stop someone from dreaming. Keralites know that every vote for BJP will deprive them of the identity of this land. Will we be able to wear the dress we like, eat the food we like, will we be able to go to religious places as we wish, if the BJP comes to power?" he asked.

The morning sessions featured ad filmmaker-actor Prakash Varma in a segment titled Ad Unplugged and Assam Congress leader and MP Gaurav Gogoi, who spoke on the role of Opposition. Meanwhile, business leaders A V Anoop of AVA Group and A K Shaji of MyG India explored the impact of artificial intelligence on enterprises. The afternoon opened with a debate on the country’s course, featuring Congress MP Praniti Shinde. Later, Kerala’s political heavyweights, CPM state secretary M V Govindan and KPCC president Sunny Joseph spoke on the state’s run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.

Actor Shweta Menon, the first woman president of AMMA, outlined her vision for the actors’ body.  The day closed on a cinematic note, with director Jeethu Joseph and actors Asif Ali and Unnimaya Prasad unpacking the evolution of Malayalam thrillers in the session Thrill Thrillarilo. More details are available at www.manoramanewsconclave.com

Amit Shah defends Constitution amendment bill
Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended the draft Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, which proposes removing the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and ministers jailed for over 30 days, saying it was a matter of morality. "Would the people want the Prime Minister to run the country from jail? Should the chief secretary, DGP and home secretary go to the jail to get the CM to sign files," he said. He argued the Constitution’s framers never anticipated jailed leaders ruling from lock-ups and cited former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s case as an example.

Centre blocked foreign aid after 2018 floods: Pinarayi Vijayan
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that disaster relief funds are a constitutional entitlement, not a form of charity, and accused the Centre of blocking foreign aid for Kerala after the 2018 floods. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for refusing external assistance, contrasting it with his tenure as Gujarat CM when such aid was accepted. Pinarayi further recalled that the Centre had denied permission for Kerala ministers to travel abroad to mobilise funds for post-flood rebuilding.

Pinarayi to lead LDF in 2026: MV Govindan
CPM state secretary MV Govindan confirmed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will once again lead the LDF in the upcoming Assembly elections, though it is undecided whether he will contest. He added that the party has yet to decide on enforcing a two-term cap for MLAs but clarified that he himself will not contest. In a sharp exchange with KPCC president Sunny Joseph, Govindan challenged the Congress to name a clear leader while defending Vijayan’s supremacy in the party. 

Thudarum, a process of self-discovery: Prakash Varma
Ad filmmaker Prakash Varma said cinema helped him discover new facets of himself, calling his role in Thudarum a process of self-discovery for an otherwise introverted person. Known for the iconic Hutch pug ad, Varma stressed that emotion is the essence of communication and brand building. He recalled working with Mohanlal on a jewellery ad, describing the actor’s subtle expressions as a “miracle,” and said every ad carries something of his own life and emotions.

It's action time and not for talk: Shwetha Menon
In the 'rescripting AMMA' session, Shwetha Menon, the first woman president of the organisation, declared that her tenure will be about action, not talk. She urged against reducing AMMA’s future to a gender debate while promising to address women’s concerns in the industry. She stressed unity and equal communication within the association and reiterated her stand with victims, not abusers. Shwetha also called for collective efforts to improve working conditions, beyond the Hema Committee’s findings.

Parliamentary checks on poll body and probe agencies
Congress MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition Gaurav Gogoi called for parliamentary oversight of the Election Commission, CBI and ED through select committees to ensure transparency and accountability. Criticising the ECI for not probing Rahul Gandhi’s allegation of missing voters in Bihar, Gogoi said citizens deserve a thorough inquiry rather than deflections. He also took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he was “jealous” of journalists who could make ministers answer questions at conclaves, unlike MPs in parliament. Gogoi added that the Congress is confident of forming governments in both Assam and Kerala in the upcoming assembly elections.

'Maharashtra voter lists show unrealistic rise in numbers'
In the 'National or Notional?' session, Congress MP Praniti Shinde accused the Election Commission of acting as the BJP’s mouthpiece and failing to ensure transparency in voter lists. Citing Maharashtra, she said voter rolls showed an unrealistic rise of 50,000 voters per constituency within four months of the general elections. Shinde argued that political parties cannot properly verify voters since the EC only provides scan-proof copies instead of editable formats, and insisted the responsibility for clarity lies with the Commission. 

Family-run biz and AI
AVA Group Managing Director AV Anoop spoke on how family-run businesses are adapting to Artificial Intelligence (AI). While noting that his soap manufacturing company cannot be fully automated, he said AI has transformed areas like advertising, enabling quick, low-cost campaign creation — with the group’s upcoming Onam ads entirely AI-made. Anoop acknowledged AI’s potential to displace jobs, much like computerisation once did, but stressed his aim was to redeploy staff rather than retrench them. He reflected that technology has already reduced employment and weakened long-standing business bonds over the past two decades. Rejecting the idea of single-man billion-dollar companies, Anoop emphasised that profit should benefit many, not just individuals. 

Conclave Programme

10.45 am – Inauguration: Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, Government of India

11.45 am – Ad Unplugged: Prakash Varma, Filmmaker, Actor

12.10 pm – Opposition: Taken Seriously?: Gaurav Gogoi, Member of Parliament

12.40 pm – AI vs BI

• AV Anoop, Managing Director, AVA Group
• A K Shaji, Chairman, MyG India Pvt Ltd

1.00 pm – Lunch

2.00 pm – National or Notional?: Praniti Shinde, MP

2.40 pm – 2026: How Far, How Fast?

• M V Govindan, State Secretary, CPM
• Sunny Joseph, President, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee

3.30 pm – Education Unbound

• Dr Tom M Joseph, Director, Jain University
• Orwell Lionel, Managing Director, Learnfluence Education

3.50 pm – Rescripting AMMA: Shwetha Menon, President, AMMA

4.15 pm – India’s AI Moment: Viju Chacko, Vice President, Air India

4.40 pm – Influence of Influencers

• Ram Mohan Paliath, Columnist, Commentator
• Ms Varsha Ramesh, Actor, Social media influencer

5.15 pm – ESG: The Sustainability Imperative: Bose Varghese, Senior Advisor – ESG, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas

5.40 pm – Intelligent Thrillers

• Jeethu Joseph, Filmmaker
• Asif Ali, Actor
• Smt Unnimaya Prasad, Actor

6.30 pm – Valedictory Address: Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala