KOTTAYAM: In a major embarrassment to the LDF during the final phase of the campaign for Assembly elections, members of the Kerala Congress (M) and the CPM clashed with each other during a meeting of the standing council of the Left-ruling Pala municipal council on Wednesday.
According to reports, an argument that occurred between Binu Pulikkakandam, a member of CPM, and Baiju Kollamparambil of KC (M) at a meeting of the standing committee on health, turned into a physical clash in the municipal hall. As per the video footage of the incident, Baiju, at first, slapped Binu on his face in front of municipal chairman Anto Jose Padinjarekkara and the municipal secretary.
Though, a swift intervention by other councillors avoided further flare-up, Binu counterattacked Baiju a few minutes later and the latter fell down to a chair. Following the incident, both the persons sought medical treatment Later, district leadership of both KC(M) and CPM intervened and settled the issues between the members. However, according to CPM insiders, the clash was the culmination of a stand-off between KC(M) and CPM workers, which commenced shortly after the local body polls. With the incident creating a major blow to the LDF in Pala, where KC (M) chairman is taking on UDF candidate Mani C Kappen in the assembly elections, the local leadership of the Left Front came out with a clarification that the incident wouldn’t affect the LDF in the election.
“There is no difference of opinion between the CPM and the KC(M). Both the parties and the Left Front are working together for the victory of the LDF in Pala. Differences of opinion between two individuals will not affect the election campaign in any way,” said CPM district secretariat member Lalichan George in a press meet in the evening.
The Left leaders, who termed the incident as unfortunate, added that UDF was trying in vain to utilise it politically. “In Pala municipality, the Left Front is working together without any differences of opinion. Before all council meetings, the LDF Parliamentary Party meets and decides the agenda and the general political position of the council. In a democracy, it is natural for members to disagree on certain issues. It is customary to discuss these issues and arrive at a consensus,” they said.
A leadership meeting of the UDF, on the other hand, noted the incident had brought shame to Pala and attributed the episode to attempts by the KC(M) to hijack the CPM in Pala. “That they did not initiate any disciplinary action against the persons involved in this shameful incident itself shows the political erosion both sides are facing,” said Saji Manjakadambil, chairman of the UDF committee in Kottayam.In the recently held local body elections, the LDF had won the Pala municipality for the first time in the 68-year-old history of the civic body.