On January 1, 2026, a surprising printing mistake occurred in Kannur. The BJP's Janmabhumi newspaper accidentally printed the editorial page of Chandrika, a rival newspaper of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). IUML State president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal was confused when party workers congratulated him for his article published on Janmabhumi's editorial page. This happened because the edition carried Chandrika's editorial page by mistake. Janmabhumi’s Kannur bureau chief, Ganesh Mohan, said, "It was a technical mix-up during the printing process." The error took place at a private computer-to-plate (CTP) centre where digital page files are transferred directly onto printing plates. The Chandrika editorial plate was sent along with Janmabhumi's plates to the printer unnoticed. Pratheeksha Printers printed multiple newspapers including Janmabhumi and Madhyamam but did not catch the error. The page 4 that printed Chandrika's masthead and editorial also included opinion pieces by IUML leaders Thangal, M.K. Muneer, and Mohammed Shah. Topics ranged from the Left Democratic Front’s disintegration to reflections on Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s works. A BJP worker in Kasaragod remarked, "Luckily, there was nothing directly targeting the BJP on the editorial page that day." Thangal said lightheartedly, "More than reaching a larger audience, I am glad I could connect with a different section of readers. This was truly a New Year surprise." Chandrika editor Kamal Varadoor welcomed the unexpected publicity, adding, "Getting a wider readership for our editorial page on New Year’s Day is a good omen. It shows the days ahead are brighter." Though printing errors are common, publishing a rival party’s editorial page is a rare and notable blunder in journalistic circles.