Congress leader joins CPM; clash erupts over attempt to paint Congress Mandalam Committee office red

PALAKKAD: An attempt to paint the Congress Mandalam Committee office red in Kottayi, under the leadership of former Congress Mandalam president K. Mohankumar—who recently joined the CPM—led to a clash.

Mohankumar and several of his followers left the Congress party and joined the CPM yesterday morning after accusing the Congress leadership of protecting individuals involved in anti-party activities. Following this, they tried to convert the Congress Mandalam Committee office building in Kottayi into a CPM office by painting it red. However, this was opposed by Congress workers, resulting in a physical altercation between the two groups.

Mohankumar claimed that the lease agreement for the building where the party office operates is in his name, and hence, he has the right to use it as the office for the party he now supports. On the other hand, Congress members asserted that the office has been functioning for the past 72 years and they will not hand it over to CPM.

As the clash intensified, police had to resort to using lathis to disperse the crowd. Since the defectors forcefully entered the office, police removed all individuals and sealed the premises. Both factions were instructed by the Alathur DySP to submit legal documents proving ownership or rights to the building. The final decision will be made by the RDO after examining the documents, police said.

Mohankumar also told the media that Shafi Parambil’s win in the Palakkad by-election was due to communal politics. He had earlier held a rebel convention in Kottayi, criticising the DCC leadership.