'Provocation from workers and slanderous campaign'; Ramya Haridas MLA responds to scuffle

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ramya Haridas MLA responded to the ruckus between Congress workers in Chirayinkeezhu, saying that she visited Sajad's house upon getting invited. Ramya Haridas said that the initial provocation came from the workers who were gathered there. The MLA was speaking to the media after being discharged from the hospital.

RAMYA:

“During the bank elections, the Congress workers in Kizhuvillam panchayat split into two groups and contested. After receiving a complaint from the KPCC, the organization's in-charge, Neyyattinkara Sanal, called and spoke to Viswanathan Nair, a DCC office bearer, and Block President Abhayan.

Despite the intervention, both sides were not ready for compromise. Both groups of workers had stood by me for the elections. Therefore, I decided that I would join neither side. After that, a few workers started making slanderous statements about me on WhatsApp. A person named Sajith made comments about me that are too gross to be shared in public. I have complained about this to the Home Minister and Shafi Parambil MP.

Sajad admitted that he did this because Viswanathan and Sajith told him to. He invited me to his house affectionately, saying that only his wife and two children were there. You can see this if you check the CCTV footage. When I reached there, I saw so many workers. It was a planned move. Only my staff was with me.

There is no point in dragging my name into the election in the bank since the feud started long before I came to this constituency. I initially thought not to bring this matter to the media to create a fuss. There were about eight people at Sajad's house. I suspect that they all arrived drunk. It was only when there was provocation that they resorted to beating them," said Ramya Haridas.