THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State President Rahul Mankoottathil of the Youth Congress was arrested in connection with the violence during the Secretariat march from his house at Adoor. His arrest has stirred the Congress and the UDF. This move has put the government and the Left Front on the defensive.

Rahul, accused as the fourth participant in the vandalism during the Youth Congress' Secretariat March, was arrested after earlier arrests of other suspects. Despite being in the capital on Monday, Rahul wasn't arrested until the police surrounded and apprehended him at his residence the next day sparking controversy.

The Congress, previously stagnant due to internal disputes and leader inaction was propelled into action by the pressure from its members. The party engaged in protests against the government initially marked by Youth Congress members' independent black flag demonstrations regarding the Nava Kerala bus. Subsequently, Congress leaders actively participated in protests until the conclusion of the Nava Kerala Yathra in Thiruvananthapuram.

The 'Samaragni' Yatra, led by K Sudhakaran and VD Satheesan was postponed to February causing a pause in the Congress's momentum. However, the arrest of Rahul Mankoottathil has injected new vigour into the party's struggle.