Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders visited former Devikulam MLA S. Rajendran at his house on Sunday, amid rumours that the CPI(M) leader might join the BJP. BJP State vice president J. Premila Devi, Central zone president N. Hari, and Idukki district president K.S. Aji were among those who visited Mr. Rajendran. BJP sources said the visit was to discuss an election-related fracas between members of the two parties. Mr. Rajendran, however, claimed that there was no politics behind the visit.
According to BJP sources, supporters of Joice George, the LDF candidate in the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency, visited the house of a plantation worker Manikandan as part of electioneering. The worker apparently said that he would discuss the issue with Mr. Rajendran and decide. The sources said that on that night, the house was attacked by a gang of CPI(M) workers, and his 16-year-old daughter was injured. They alleged that the police tried to save the accused.
Police version
However, Munnar Deputy Superintendent of Police Alex Baby said the said quarrel occurred during a temple festival. “A case under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and another case based on a kidnap charge have already been registered. It was not an election-related incident,” said the official.