Cong, BJP Councillors Trade Charges After Ruckus in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation
The BJP-led NDA assumed power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in December 2025, ending the LDF's 45-year rule by winning 50 of the 101 seats
Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Council witnessed high drama on Monday, with the UDF and the BJP trading allegations of assault after a ruckus broke out following the council meeting. Tension had prevailed even before the meeting began following recent clashes outside the chamber of Mayor V V Rajesh, in which several LDF and BJP councillors were injured.
The BJP-led NDA assumed power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in December 2025, ending the LDF's 45-year rule by winning 50 of the 101 seats.
The Congress-led UDF had also planned to move a no-confidence motion during the meeting. However, it did not do so after the LDF made it clear that it would not support the motion.
Ahead of the council session, both the LDF and the UDF staged separate protests in front of the Corporation office.
LDF councillors who were injured in the earlier clashes attended the meeting after being discharged from the hospital.
Television visuals showed CPI(M) councillors staging a protest with placards demanding the resignation of BJP councillor Sugathan, who was arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with criminal cases, as Mayor Rajesh entered the council hall.
The mayor then announced that all items on the agenda had been approved and adjourned the meeting.
After the LDF councillors left the hall, tension escalated when UDF councillors approached the attendance register to sign it.
Leader of the UDF parliamentary party K S Sabarinadhan alleged that BJP Education Standing Committee Chairman Chempazhanthy Udayan attacked Congress councillors, including women members, when they attempted to sign the attendance register.
"We realised the danger of not signing the attendance register, as it could be tampered with to avoid recording the absence of councillor Sugathan. So we decided to sign the register," Sabarinadhan told reporters.
He alleged that Udayan first verbally abused the women councillors and then manhandled them.
"He then tore his own shirt. Later, he snatched the attendance register and tore its pages," Sabarinadhan alleged.
UDF councillors said they would explore legal action against the BJP councillors and staged a protest.
The BJP, however, rejected the allegations and claimed that it was Sabarinadhan and the UDF councillors who had attempted to tamper with the attendance register.
According to BJP councillors, when they tried to prevent Sabarinadhan from doing so, UDF members assaulted Udayan.
The developments come amid continuing political tensions in the Corporation after the Kerala High Court invalidated the oath taken by several BJP councillors, holding that they had invoked names other than "God" or used expressions beyond the prescribed form of oath or solemn affirmation.
The LDF has alleged that the fresh oath taken by the BJP councillors following the High Court's order was not in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
