Tense atmosphere in TVM Corporation office amidst BJP-CPI(M) clash over Mayor's purported letter

A tense atmosphere, which even inconvenienced the general public, prevailed at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office as councillors of the ruling CPI(M) and opposition BJP clashed with each other over the controversial letter allegedly written by Mayor Arya Rajendran regarding temporary appointments of party cadres in the civic body.

Protesting against the Mayor, BJP and Youth Congress marched to the corporation office and staged an agitation outside its gates by shouting slogans, as shown on visuals aired by TV channels.

Subsequently, some BJP workers scaled the gates of the office and entered the premises after which they were dragged away, along with other protestors, from the area by the police.

Thereafter, BJP councillors present inside the Corporation office came out in support of their party workers and shouted slogans against the Mayor and CPI(M).

Things, however, turned violent as councillors of BJP and CPI(M) clashed with each other with one of the officials of the Corporation getting locked inside in his office with some elderly women who were meeting him regarding their pension.

When his office door was opened, he told TV channels that some of the women managed to escape when they heard the commotion, but some could not and they were in distress due to the tense situation prevailing in the corporation.

One of the elderly women was in tears and concerned about the violent clash between the two groups, according to visuals.

Visuals also showed women councillors of both sides physically attacking each other and the police intervening to separate them.

The grills at the point of entry to the corporation office were locked from the inside by security personnel, but some of the protesters could be seen trying to break the lock with a rock.

As things turned violent inside the corporation, State Police Chief Anil Kant ordered an inquiry by the Crime Branch wing of police into the complaint given to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by the mayor in connection with the controversial letter.

CPI(M) district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, to whom the purported letter was addressed, told reporters here in the afternoon that whoever wrote the letter or leaked it would be revealed in the police probe.

The investigation will also reveal if the letter was fake or forged or original, he further said.

He said the party will examine what actually happened and after going through all the facts a decision would be taken.

In the letter dated November 1, Rajendran purportedly informed that the CPI(M)-ruled city corporation had decided to appoint employees in various posts in connection with its health wing on a daily wage basis.

On Sunday, she had denied writing, signing or sending any such letter and said she had given a complaint to the Chief Minister requesting a probe into the matter.

Amidst the severe criticism being levelled against the Mayor over the letter by the BJP and Congress, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday termed Rajendran's conduct as ''disgraceful'' and joined the scores of others who are seeking her resignation.

''Disgraceful that Thiruvananthapuram's CPI(M) Mayor AryaRajendran has been exposed asking her Party Secretary for names to fill vacancies in city government. At a time when India's (& Kerala's) youth are reeling from record levels of unemployment, this is a betrayal. She must resign!'' he tweeted.

The Mayor, a day ago, had claimed that the letter appeared to be ''edited'' and that she suspects it to be politically motivated by those who have been campaigning against her and the party for some time.

She had also brushed aside demands for her resignation by the opposition Congress and BJP by terming the same as a ''joke''.

A break-up chart of various posts and the number of vacancies in each category including public health expert, doctor, staff nurse, pharmacist, lab technician, part-time sweeper and so on was also given in the controversial letter.

The 23-year old mayor had purportedly requested the party district secretary to provide the ''priority list'' of cadres to be appointed by November 16, the last date of submission of applications.

It had led to the Congress and BJP alleging that it was yet another example of CPI(M)-led LDF trying to induct party cadres in state-run institutions.