In a dramatic turn of events, Kerala’s Thrissur district witnessed intense clashes among Congress workers on Friday, triggered by the defeat of party candidate K Muraleedharan in the recent Lok Sabha polls. The situation had been simmering within the Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) since the election results were announced on June 4th.
The turmoil escalated when anonymous posters surfaced, blaming DCC chief Jose Valloor and former Thrissur MP T N Prathapan for the electoral setback. One poster, in particular, took a direct swipe at Prathapan, stating, “No seat even in a ward for Prathapan,” and demanded Jose Valloor’s resignation.
The tension reached a boiling point when DCC chief Jose Valloor confronted a worker, Suresh, reportedly aligned with DCC secretary Sajeevan Kuttiyachira, over the posters. This confrontation quickly turned physical, with allegations of assault exchanged between supporters of different factions within the party.
As a form of protest, Sajeevan Kuttiyachira staged a sit-in protest in front of a portrait of Congress leader K Karunakaran, father of the defeated candidate K Muraleedharan. The situation intensified further as more supporters of Muraleedharan gathered at the DCC office.
Adding to the turmoil, on the day of counting, K Muraleedharan publicly criticized both district and state leadership, accusing them of inadequate support during the campaign. This frustration stemmed from Muraleedharan’s defeat by BJP’s Suresh Gopi, who secured a decisive victory with a margin exceeding 74,000 votes over his closest rival from CPI.
The clashes underscore deep-seated tensions within the Thrissur Congress, reflecting broader challenges faced by the party in reconciling internal differences amidst electoral setbacks. The aftermath of this incident will likely prompt intense introspection and possible restructuring within the local party leadership, as they seek to regroup and strategize ahead of future electoral challenges.