Kannur: The UDF has alleged that CPM workers assaulted its booth agents and captured three polling booths in Anthoor municipality during Thursday’s local body elections.

Congress’s Anthoor mandalam president, Prajosh Poyyil, said UDF agents were chased away from booths in Kannapilavu (Division 11), Kuttipram (23) and Ozhakrome (25), enabling bogus voting. Anthoor is a CPM bastion where every division is under CPM control. The party is frequently accused of threatening rival candidates and their proposers, pressuring them to withdraw nominations. Anthoor is also the home turf of CPM state secretary M V Govindan. This year, five CPM candidates were elected unopposed.

Poyyil, who contested from Ozhakrome (Ward 25), said he was doubling up as his own booth agent when he was forced out with just 30 minutes left before polling closed. “Around 5.30 pm, nearly 40 CPM workers barged into the booth and ordered me to leave. When I resisted, they tried to assault me and the presiding officer,” he said.

He said polling stood at 85% when he was forced out. “By the time polling ended, it had risen to 93%. They must have cast at least 60 bogus votes,” he alleged. The incident took place at the Aided Lower Primary School in Morazha South. “I stayed on despite threats from morning to instil confidence in my workers. If a mandalam president is treated like this, imagine the plight of ordinary Congress workers,” he said.

According to him, the group came from Thaliyil (Division 18), the same division where CPM workers had earlier threatened the proposer of Congress candidate Vimal Manoj K, forcing him to disown his signature, which resulted in Vimal’s nomination being rejected.

Until 5.30 pm, Poyyil said he had flagged several bogus voters, and the presiding officer, Soumya, “fearlessly sent them back”. “But when the 40 men barged in, she could only look at me helplessly. The two police officers posted there stood like scarecrows,” he said.

Outside the booth, CPM workers allegedly snatched the voters’ list in which he had marked the suspected bogus voters. “They even grabbed my handbag and ran off with it,” he said.

Violent streak in Kannur?
Congress district president Martin George said the CPM feared a democratic contest even in areas where it enjoyed an overwhelming majority. In a statement, he listed several places where UDF booth agents and candidates were attacked.

In Chengalayi panchayat, CPM workers allegedly assaulted the polling agents of the UDF candidate in  Kannadippara (Ward 1). Agents of the Mavilampara booth, Muhammad Sinan and Muthalib, were injured in the attack on Wednesday night and later denied their booth passes. On polling day, Rajesh, an accused in the attack on the late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, entered the booth and created a ruckus.

In Cheruthazham panchayat, UDF booth agent Sumeshlal of Ward 16 was beaten at the Mandur LP School booth in Kokkanad ward.

In Payyannur municipality’s Ward 17, an attempt to cast bogus votes was foiled when four people arrived with fake identity cards. The presiding officer stopped them, prompting an argument by the CPM agent that briefly disrupted polling.

At Chokli UP School, voters standing in queue were allegedly forced by CPM workers -- led by LDF panchayat member Mahima Majeed -- to cast open votes, said the district Congress president.

In Azhikode panchayat (Wards 14 and 15), attempts were made to cast bogus votes. At Meenkunnu Higher Secondary School, a scuffle broke out after UDF booth agents prevented bogus voting, and attempts were allegedly made to assault UDF candidates Chandini and Mohanan.

At Vettummal Mappila LP School in Panur Block (Ward 5), UDF candidate K Lathika was attacked inside the booth. CPM workers who barged in allegedly snatched the voters’ list from her, tried to push her down, and hurled abuse. Lathika, who is also the Mahila Congress Thalassery Block president, is admitted to Indira Gandhi Hospital.

In Maloor panchayat (Ward 11), UDF candidate Amala was beaten inside the Kunderipoyil LP School booth. Youth Congress district secretary Rahul Mekileri was also injured. Both were assaulted for questioning bogus voting.

In Payyannur municipality (Ward 43), UDF agents were forcibly evicted after CPM workers arrived in groups and drove them out.

In Kuttiattoor panchayat, UDF worker Aslam K was beaten on his way to the booth in Nedukkulam. He is now admitted to MIMS Hospital with serious injuries.

UDF is in a shameful state: KK Ragesh
Responding to the allegations, CPM district secretary K K Ragesh said the UDF was resorting to its “usual claims of LDF violence” out of fear of a massive defeat. He said the UDF was in a “shameful” state in the district, pointing out that the LDF had won uncontested in 14 places, including Kannapuram and Anthoor. In several areas, he claimed, there were not enough people to submit UDF nominations. A police case is underway over forged signatures by supporters, and some candidates themselves admitted to the media that nominations were filed without their knowledge, he said.

“In one ward reserved for women, men submitted nomination papers, creating a laughable situation,” he added. Ragesh said the Congress was spreading false propaganda of “violence” to misrepresent the LDF’s gains on polling day. In reality, he claimed, LDF workers in Thaliparamba and Pariyaram had been attacked inside booths. He said the UDF, “completely isolated from the people”, was heading towards another heavy setback on Saturday.