In a shocking incident reflecting intense political rivalry, the residence of a local body representative in Kozhikode was attacked early Sunday morning. The attack came just hours after she voted for the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate during a crucial block panchayat president election on Saturday.
Attack on Residence and Discovery of Bomb
Unidentified assailants targeted the home of Rajani Thekkethayyil, a member of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and an LDF-backed block panchayat member, in the early hours of Sunday. The incident occurred at Puthiyottum Thazhakuni near Azhiyur. The attackers pelted stones at the house, shattering two window panes.
In a more alarming discovery, a steel bomb was found placed on the doormat outside the front door of the house, according to police reports. The presence of an explosive device has significantly raised the seriousness of the incident, prompting a swift police response.
Political Backdrop and the Controversial Vote
The attack is directly linked to a political controversy during the Vadakara block panchayat president election held on Saturday. Rajani Thekkethayyil, though an RJD member part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition, cast her vote in favour of the UDF candidate. This vote proved decisive in the evenly divided 16-member council, where both the UDF and LDF had eight members each.
Her vote enabled the UDF–RMP Janakeeya Munnani candidate to secure the block panchayat president's post. Rajani has maintained that her vote for the UDF was an "inadvertent error". She stated that she realized the mistake immediately after casting her vote and requested the returning officer to allow her to correct it, but her plea was denied.
Immediate Repercussions and Protests
The political fallout was swift. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) suspended Rajani from the party for six months for voting against the coalition line. Furthermore, within the LDF, the RJD's nominee for the vice-president post was replaced with a candidate from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM.
Interestingly, in the subsequent vice-president election, Rajani voted for the LDF candidate. That election resulted in a tie and was eventually decided by a draw of lots, which the LDF candidate won. Rajani has since lodged formal complaints with the District Collector and the State Election Commission regarding the entire episode.
Police Investigation Underway
The Chombala police have registered a case against unidentified persons. The charges are serious and include sections 324(2), 324(6), and 329(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertain to voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means and related offences. Additionally, Section 5 of the Explosive Substances Act has been invoked due to the discovery of the steel bomb.
The incident has sparked concerns about the safety of elected representatives at the grassroots level and the pressures they face during tightly contested elections. It highlights the volatile nature of local politics in the region, where a single vote can alter the balance of power.
