Kannur: One worker of the CPI(M) worker died and four others were injured in a bomb blast that took place during a celebratory rally Pinarayi, Kannur district of Kerala after the LDF’s convincing win in the state.
Ravindran, the CPM worker became the victim of a suspected crude bomb blast during a victory rally and lost his life. Two other workers were also injured in the blast. The alleged attack was carried out in the village of senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan.
According to police, the incident occurred when some members of the victory procession tried to destroy a BJP flag-post in the area. After the incident, the CPI(M) asked its cadre to suspend victory processions to avert more clashes.
The district is notorious for red-saffron clashes and saw widespread violence in the past three decades that claimed more than 300 lives.
Political bloodshed has mounted in the state since the poll dates were declared. An RSS worker was stabbed in the volatile Kannur region weeks before the polls, triggering widespread condemnation. In February, an RSS worker was stabbed to death before his parents in Kannur.
Scripting a new chapter for the BJP in Kerala, party veteran and former Union Minister of State during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister, O Rajagopal today won from Nemom constituency to help the party make its debut in the state assembly.
Rajagopal, who had lost by a narrow margin in previous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, wrested Nemom from sitting MLA and vibrant CPI(M)-LDF leader V Sivankutty defeating him by 8,671 votes.
The historic victory is a sweet revenge for Rajagopal, as he had lost in the constituency in a photo finish to Sivankutty in the 2011 assembly polls. Garnering 43,661 votes, he had come second to Sivankutty last time.
