Kottayam: A function in which finance minister K.M. Mani and water resources minister P.J. Joseph participated at Thidanadu near Pala here on Friday witnessed dramatic scenes and scuffles.
The venue was the anniversary celebrations of Kudumbasree and the inauguration of the Jalanidhi project intended to solve the drinking water shortage in the grama panchayat.
The chaos started when estranged Kerala Congress (M) leader P.C. George, in his presidential address, held Mr Mani responsible for the fall in rubber prices and that he would continue legal procedures to prosecute him.
As he continued his attack, the Thidanadu grama panchayat president, Joseph Vellookunnel, asked him to avoid raising personal allegations.
However, according to sources, George refused to heed. By this time, a panchayat member belonging to the KC (M) tried to turn off the mike, leading to pandemonium. Leaders on both sides hurled abuses at each other.
Benny, a personal assistant of Mr George, got injured after he fell from the stage. Mr Mani and Mr Joseph and MPs Anto Antony and Joy Abraham were also present on the stage. But they did not intervene.
Mr Vellookunnel, addressing a press conference in Kottayam later, demanded a case registered against Mr George for insulting women representatives and Kudumbasree members on the dais.
Separately, Kerala Congress (Secular) leaders alleged that district panchayath president Nirmala Jimmy caught the hand of Mr George and action should be taken against her for that.
Ms Jimmy denied the charges. Speaking to reporters, Mr Mani later said he was ignoring Mr George’s allegations.
