Thiruvananthapuram Mayor injured in scuffle, hospitalised

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (IANS) City Mayor V.K. Prasanth, owing allegiance to CPI-M, suffered injuries in a scuffle that broke out between the CPI-M and BJP councillors during a special sitting of the Corporation to mark its second anniversary. An injured Prasanth had to be rushed to a local hospital.

In the 100-member Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is the principal opposition party.

The trouble broke out with the BJP insisting for a discussion on the way the High Mast Lighting programme was being carried out in the city. But it was opposed by the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Front.

After winding up the session, Prasanth was leaving from the Council hall to his room on the top floor when the scuffle started between the Left and the BJP councillors and in the melee, Prasanth fell down injuring himself.

Four other councillors -- three from the BJP and one of the CPI-M -- were also injured in the incident.

In a press release, the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College said the Mayor had injuries on his person but his condition was stable.

Thiruvananthapuram CPI-M district secretary Anavoor Nagappan said this sort of hooliganism was unheard of in the history of this Corporation.

"One might have differences of opinion, but manhandling is not what should take place," said Nagappan.

But the BJP councillors claimed that the attack was initiated by the Mayor himself.

After the incident, angry CPI-M councillors and the party-backed Corporation staff staged a sit-in protest against the BJP and soon, the BJP councillors also took their seat to protest against the way their members were manhandled.