THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a face-saving move to end the internal dispute, the KPCC will launch an inquiry into the scuffle between Chirayinkeezhu MLA Ramya Haridas and Congress leaders that took place in the constituency on Friday night. The issue, which pits Youth Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat member Sajith Muttappalam and another party worker Sajjad against the MLA, will be probed by a three-member panel.
KPCC president Sunny Joseph on Saturday announced that senior leader M M Hassan will lead the investigation. KPCC general secretary (organisation) Neyyattinkara Sanal and Ramani P Nair will also be part of the team.
Meanwhile, the Chirayinkeezhu Police has taken a case on the complaint given by Ramya, with charges including the assault on women and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Notably, no case has been registered on the counter complaints by Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat member Sajith Muttappalam and party worker Sajjad. “We have received their complaints, but they sought time to appear for recording their statements. Once it is done, we will proceed with the same,” Chirayinkeezhu SHO said.
The incident took place on Friday evening, when Sajjad posted a message in a Congress WhatsApp group against Palayam Pramod, who claims to be Ramya’s staff, attending a Block Panchayat Committee meeting, and called him an ‘MLA benami’. The message, which alleges that the over-involvement by Pradeep led to Ramya’s defeat in Alathur Lok Sabha constituency in 2024, also claims that he has received huge amounts of money from contractors.
Hours after the message was sent to the WhatsApp group, the MLA, along with Palayam Pradeep and others, met Sajjad at Chirayinkeezhu. According to Sajith, they entered Sajjad’s house at around 9.45 pm. Pradeep asked Sajjad’s daughter to read out the message he sent to the WhatsApp group.
Soon, Sajith also came to his house, and heated exchanges led to the scuffle, following which Ramya sought treatment at the Government Taluk Hospital here. Alleging a conspiracy, Ramya Haridas said that the issue began when Congress members contested in a bank’s election as two separate panels at the Kizhuvilam grama panchayat. “I decided not to take part in either of the conventions, as both are from the same party. But later, I faced derogatory remarks both online and offline from people, including Sajjad, due to my decision,” she told the media. Stating that Sajjad himself invited her to his house, she refuted the claims of forcing his daughter to read out the message.
Calling the bank election issue totally unrelated, Sajjad told TNIE that Palayam Pradeep is not even part of the MLA’s personal staff. “Pradeep is known as MLA benami here, and it was he who forced my daughter to read out the message I sent to the group. The entire scuffle took place when my mother, wife and two kids were inside the house,” he said.
Soon after the issue picked up a row, the Youth Congress district committee conveyed its displeasure over the action from the MLA’s side to the KPCC. “From what we have learnt after probing into the issue and going through the videos, no fault has happened from Sajith’s side. The issue began from the MLA’s side, and it appears that the move was intended to trap him,” a Youth Congress office-bearer said on condition of anonymity.
“Investigation will begin from Sunday, and whomsoever found to have violated the party discipline will have to face stringent disciplinary action,” Sunny Joseph told the media.
