The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Sunday suspended Palayam Pradeep and S Sajad from the party’s primary membership following a scuffle involving Congress MLA Ramya Haridas at Sajad’s house in Pulimoodu on Friday night.

KPCC general secretary Neyyattinkara Sanal, who was part of the inquiry committee, announced that party president Sunny Joseph had suspended the two based on its report. According to a press release issued by the party on Sunday, the report found that they had committed serious organisational disciplinary violations that brought disrepute to the Congress in the public eye.

The incident occurred on Friday night when Haridas alleged that she was attacked by local Congress leaders, including district panchayat member Sajith Muttambalam and Sajad, the Congress’ Koonthallur area vice-president.

Following the incident, Chirayinkeezhu police registered a case against 15 local Congress workers. The accused were booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The incident reportedly followed a dispute over the presence of Haridas’ staff member, Palayam Pradeep, at a block panchayat committee meeting earlier on Friday. Local Congress workers had objected to Pradeep’s presence, alleging that he had issued directions to certain contractors. Haridas later allegedly shared visuals of Pradeep attending the meeting in a Congress WhatsApp group, prompting Sajad to question his presence in a response message.

Haridas, however, said Sajad had invited her to his house and that she went there with her associates. She maintained that Pradeep had been part of her staff since she was an MP.

“Another person who accompanied me is my driver, and another is staff who was appointed on deputation. It is usual that my staff accompanies me,” she said.

According to Haridas, Sajad had invited her to meet his wife and children and told her that his house was around 200 metres from Pulimoodu junction. She alleged that Sajith, Adheesh, Binoy and several others later arrived at the house, where Sajith behaved aggressively and threatened her.

Haridas also linked the incident to a factional dispute within the local Congress unit. She said Congress workers had split into two factions during a recent bank election, with a third panel also entering the contest. Following a complaint, KPCC general secretary Neyyattinkara Sanal asked her to mediate between the factions.

She said she met Block Congress president Abhayan and DCC office-bearer Viswanathan Nair, but they remained firm in their respective positions.

Haridas said she subsequently faced repeated derogatory and defamatory remarks on WhatsApp and social media for nearly two months. She alleged that Sajith and Viswanathan were leading the campaign and said she had brought the matter to the attention of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, Vamanapuram MLA Sudheersha Palode and Thiruvananthapuram Youth Congress president Nemom Shajeer.