The ongoing rivalry in the Kerala Congress (M) between suspended former vice chairman P.C. George and the official group boiled over at a function graced by all the three senior leaders of the party — Finance Minister K.M. Mani, Irrigation Minister P.J. Joseph and Mr. George — resulting in a melee in which at least one person was injured.
The incident occurred on Friday when the Kudumbasree unit at Thidanadu grama panchayat was celebrating their anniversary. The panchayat had also organised the inauguration of a drinking water project under the Jalanidhi Project at the same venue. The programme had already begun with Mr. Mani on the dais when other guests including Mr. George, Mr. Joseph and Anto Antony, MP, arrived to participate. Mr. George commenced his presidential address and soon it became a tirade against the United Democratic Front, attacking Mr. Mani for the failure of the rubber procurement programme and hike in land tax.
Later, the allegations about the UDF leaders turned personal. Following this, according to Mr. George’s followers, district panchayat president Nirmala Jimmy held Mr. George’s hand and took away the microphone.
By that time, Mr. George’s followers barged on to the dais. One of Mr. George’s personal staff members fell down from the dais and suffered injuries. Speaking to mediapersons later, Ms. Jimmy alleged that Mr. George’s speech was in bad taste and she had no option but to remove the microphone from him. Thidanadu grama panchayat president Joseph George alleged that the former party vice chairman was bent on creating problems as he found his support fast dwindling in the panchayat.
