Shaju Philip

Thiruvananthapuram: Following the arrest of P S Supal, state secretary of the CPI’s youth wing, AIYF, on Wednesday the relation between the Left coalition partners in Kerala — the CPI(M) and the CPI — hit a new low.

Supal, who was picked up by the CPI(M)-controlled state police officials in the wee hours, was charged with forcefully releasing CPI workers, who were arrested for rioting during a co-operative bank election at Edaman, in Kollam district on June 28.

The former MLA was produced before a magistrate court, which remanded him to judicial custody for 15 days. He was later released on bail. Following the arrest, CPI members observed a hartal in several areas of Kollam district. AIYF activists took out a march to the state secretariat, to protest against the police action.

CPI Kollam district secretary K Prakashbabu told The Indian Express that police would not have dared to arrest Supal without the support of the CPI(M) district leadership. He said his party would seek action against police officials in Kollam district.

The stand-off between the Left parties in Kollam was set off after a CPI(M) member won the chairmanship of the district co-operative bank. Unable to bear the humiliation, the CPI quit as the convener of the LDF in the district. Later, the party nominee quit as deputy mayor in Kollam.

editor@expressindia.com