Thiruvananthapuram, April 11 – Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan accused the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday of instigating widespread violence in the Kannur district, alleging that the party, sensing electoral defeat, has resorted to intimidation and attacks.
He urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to intervene immediately and instruct party workers to stop the violence.
Satheesan alleged that incidents of targeted violence were reported from several parts of the district, including Payyannur, Mayyil, and Taliparamba.
He said that the house of T. Purushothaman, a supporter of the independent candidate V. Kunjikrishnan, who is backed by the United Democratic Front, was attacked, and his car was set on fire.
He claimed that several other houses were vandalized, adding that even a wall bearing campaign graffiti supporting Kunjikrishnan was destroyed.
Wreaths were allegedly placed in front of the houses of supporters, and a Congress office was vandalized.
According to Satheesan, these attacks were carried out with the knowledge of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership.
He criticized the party’s state and district leaders for failing to condemn the violence, accusing the organization of functioning like a criminal gang that could not tolerate even political graffiti.
He also alleged that Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers had used a locally referred-to itching powder, "naykkuruna," against United Democratic Front booth agents in Dharmadam, the constituency represented by the Chief Minister.
Similar incidents, he said, were reported in Nadapuram, Perambra, Tanur, Kattakkada, and Nemom.
Satheesan demanded urgent intervention by the Election Commission of India to ensure strong police action and to prevent further violence, alleging that the attacks appeared to be organized and aimed at disrupting law and order.
Incidentally, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), ahead of the polls, was jolted by a huge backlash when three former legislators joined the Congress-led United Democratic Front, and two hugely popular grassroots leaders in Kannur also joined the United Democratic Front bandwagon as candidates.
On May 4, Kerala will know who will form the new government.
