Violence erupts at Thiruvananthapuram Corporation meeting as BJP councillor attacks Congress leader K.S. Sabarinadhan amid protests

A council meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in Kerala witnessed violent scenes as BJP councillor and Education Standing Committee chairperson Chempazhanthy Udayan allegedly attacked United Democratic Democratic (UDF) council party leader K.S. Sabarinadhan and two women councillors of the Congress on Monday (June 29, 2026)

The meeting began amid tensions as the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) mounted strong protests against the continuance of BJP councillor R. Sugathan, who was arrested under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), and currently lodged at the high-security correctional facility at Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur.

BJP councillor Chempazhanthy Udayan (back to the camera) attacks UDF councillor K.S. Sabarinathan (centre) as UDF councillors continued to protest after the council meeting concluded in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Monday. BJP and UDF councillors clashed following this.
| Photo Credit:
Nirmal Harindran

As soon as the meeting began in the afternoon, councillors of the LDF and the UDF rose up in protests, holding placards demanding the Mr. Sugathan’s removal.

Mayor V.V. Rajesh initially played a video clip of Local Self-Goverments Minister K.M. Shaji saying that the State government was not opposed to the display of Pradhan Manthri Awas Yojana (PMAY) logo in front of houses. Following this, Mr. Rajesh rushed through the agenda items amid the sloganeering before declaring the meeting closed.

After the Mayor declared that the meeting was over, a scuffle broke out between BJP and UDF councillors inside the council hall. UDF council party leader K.S. Sabarinadhan alleged that the fight broke out after the UDF councillors obtained possession of the council attendance register and the minutes book which the Mayor had “kept hidden”. Mr. Udayan attempted to snatch the files, leading to the scuffle.

“The BJP used the opportunity to snatch and destroy the attendance register and minutes book to aid their councillor Mr. Sugathan’s ongoing legal case. Mr. Udayan attacked and abused even the women councillors of the UDF. This is typical RSS behaviour and it will not be tolerated,” Mr. Sabarinadhan said.

No confidence motion not moved

The UDF was earlier planning to move a no confidence motion against the BJP administration citing administrative paralysis. However, it later decided against it as it was unsure of garnering LDF’s support for the move. 

LDF councillor K. Sreekumar alleged that the Mayor had not convened a council meeting for the past 47 days to “aid” Mr. Sugathan, who stands to lose his councillor post if he remains absent from four council meetings.

Three LDF women councillors, who were injured in a scuffle with the BJP councillors last week, had arrived on wheelchairs for the meeting on Monday. LDF leaders alleged that the Mayor was “presiding over a goonda raj” in the Corporation and using physical force against both the Opposition parties.