Kerala: Ex-Minister K.V. Thomas Questions Arrest of Congress Worker in CM Convoy Row
K.V. Thomas criticises police action against Congress worker Anilkumar for blocking CM Satheesan's convoy, citing past precedent under K. Karunakaran.
Former Union Minister K.V. Thomas has criticised the police action against a local Congress leader in Thiruvananthapuram, who was arrested for allegedly blocking Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan's convoy and misbehaving with him.
In a social media post, Mr. Thomas drew a parallel between this incident and a clash that occurred during an event attended by former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran. He questioned Mr. Satheesan, who is also a Congress leader, over the arrest of a party worker for protesting against him.
Mr. Thomas referred to an alleged clash between Congress workers and plainclothes policemen at a religious harmony event in Ernakulam, which was attended by Mr. Karunakaran, Oommen Chandy, and other senior leaders. The event was organised by the Ernakulam District Congress Committee when Mr. Thomas was its president.
He said the meeting had to be dispersed after supporters of reformist groups allegedly created a ruckus deliberately. Though the then police commissioner wanted to register a case, Mr. Karunakaran dissuaded him, saying they were all Congress workers and such incidents happen, so there was no need for a case.
Mr. Thomas said Mr. Karunakaran's stand was that of a true leader. He contrasted this with the current action against Anilkumar, alias Chenthi Anil, a former member of the Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee.
Mr. Anilkumar was expelled from the party on Saturday (August 29, 2026) after he and a group allegedly blocked Mr. Satheesan's convoy on Friday (August 28, 2026) evening. The incident occurred when the Chief Minister was on his way to the Sree Narayana Gurukulam at Chempazhanthy for the Jayanti celebrations.