00:04In Tiruvannathpuram there was a scuffle that broke out between the CPM and BJP
00:09councillors at the Tiruvannathpuram corporation where the CPM led LDF
00:14intensified protests demanding the removal of BJP councillor Sugatan who's
00:18currently in jail. They also said that the mayoral and deputy mayor elections
00:22have become invalid since BJP councillors took court again yesterday.
00:25They're also demanding that the mayor and deputy mayor resign and vote new
00:29elections. Mayor Vivi Rajesh was stopped by CPM workers. LDF has been blocking the
00:34office since morning. The mayor was stopped when he arrived at the
00:37corporation office with the councillors leading to a major conflict. A CPM
00:42woman councillor was also injured in this scuffle.
00:49Shibibbol KG is joining me for the lead test on that. Shibibbol what exactly
00:55happened? This looks like clearly a scuffle that took place, blows exchanged.
01:01Well, Pooja, the scuffle broke out between the CPIM and the BJP councillors as the CPIM was
01:06protesting demanding the removal of Sugadan, a BJP councillor who's currently in the jail. So, he's
01:13currently in jail under KAPA Act. KAPA is Kerala Anti-Social Prevention Act and also on attempt to murder charges.
01:21So, there are multiple cases against him and recently the police had arrested
01:24him and he's in jail. So, he has not attended the last two council meetings. And if he does not
01:30attend one more meeting, then he will disqualify. He will get disqualified. That's the rule of the corporation.
01:34So, the CPIM is, you know, holding this protest saying that the mayor is purposely delaying this third council meeting
01:42to protect this councillor from being disqualified. The issue here is that if he gets disqualified, then the BJP loses
01:48majority in the corporation. They do not have an absolute majority. They need 51 seats.
01:5351 members to form the corporation, from the government in the corporation and listen to the corporation. So, if Sugadan
01:59is not present, the next council meet, that means they
02:02will use absolute majority. And that's why the CPIM is protesting saying that the mayor is trying to protect them.
02:08Also, there was another controversy that broke out. The BJP councillors, 20 of them had taken oath in the name
02:14of different deities and different
02:16martyres from their organization, various organizations. The name of various organizations and their martyres and certain gods also. That is
02:23against the municipality act. The High Court yesterday ordered all of them that the, you know, to retake this oath
02:29as the oath that they took right now is invalid. So, yesterday, we saw the 20 councillors at the Deerondaran
02:35Corporation of BJP retaking their oath following a High Court order. So, CPIM is again demanding that since their oath
02:41was invalid, now they will have to hold a new mayor and a deputy mayor election. They are
02:46to resign and prove their majority in the corporation. The protest was as part of it. Today morning, they blocked
02:53the mayor. The mayor said, no, they cannot block him and we have to continue with the work. There are
02:57many people coming to the corporation for multiple purposes. So, he tried to enter the office and that's when the
03:02scuffle broke out.
03:03Stay on with me, Shibhi, because there are some reactions coming in from on the ground. But also, tell us
03:08more about has the scuffle ended? Is the area clear? What's happening there?
03:16Oh, well, the protest got over. The area is completely cleared now. But some of the councillors from both the
03:21sides have been injured and they have been moved to hospital.
03:24So, the BJP leaders are also visiting the, you know, the workers, injured workers in the hospital there. A CPM
03:31councillor has also suffered severe injuries, what we are learning at this moment.
03:34Even the police also, some of the police officers also suffered some sort of injuries in the scuffle. But right
03:40now, the corporation...
03:41Yes, MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar has spoken. Let's listen in.
03:47CPM's era of politics is getting over in Kerala. They have not only been decisively defeated in these assembly elections,
03:56they have also been decisively defeated in the local body election.
03:59It is for the first time in the history of Kerala that in the capital of Tiruanduram, the CPM neither
04:06has an MLA nor do they have the corporation under the governance.
04:11So, they are frustrated. The karyakartas of the CPM, the workers of the CPM are looking for alternates.
04:19Shibimol continues to be with us. Shibimol, so, Mayor is saying that he was stopped by CPM workers. LDF has
04:25been blocking the office since morning.
04:27A CPM woman councillor was injured in the incident. One is wondering how can all of these adults lead to
04:33such a scuffle over incident that doesn't really seem to be of a heightened nature.
04:38So, what is the cause that started the scuffle? Why couldn't it be resolved by talking?
04:44Well, you know, this has been, you know, there is a major crisis for the BJP right now in the
04:49corporation because of this one councillor being in the jail and he's under the KAPA act.
04:53KAPA is a very serious act as far as Kerala is concerned. So, in that case, he's in jail and
04:59also on attempt to murder charges.
05:01So, recently, the Home Secretary also approved those KAPA charges because there are very few people who will be charged
05:07under KAPA.
05:09Keep tracking that. Shibimol, it's not good to see the kind of fight we see here between the BJP and
05:14the CPM. Thank you very much for now.
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