Kerala polls shocker: Tharoor’s convoy stopped, security guard attacked mid-campaign

Tharoor was travelling to campaign for UDF candidate A P Anilkumar when the incident occurred.

What was the incident?

According to reports, around eight men intercepted Tharoor’s convoy and attempted to prevent him from proceeding.

When a security personnel stepped out of the vehicle to intervene, he was allegedly assaulted.

Tharoor, however, was unharmed in the incident.

Police reaction

Police said a case has been registered and one suspect has been taken into custody.

However, officials have so far denied any political angle to the attack.

Tharoor ‘touched’ by concern

In a post on X, Tharoor said he was “untouched” and that the injured security guard “is well”.

“Truly touched by all the messages and calls expressing concern about the untoward incident last night when my security guard was attacked,” he wrote, adding that he “carried on undaunted” and continued with his campaign schedule.

How are Kerala polls shaping up?

The political landscape in Kerala is currently dominated by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The alliance, which includes the Communist Party of India and other partners, returned to power in 2021, breaking the state’s tradition of alternating governments.

The principal opposition is the United Democratic Front (UDF), headed by the Indian National Congress, with key allies like the Indian Union Muslim League and Kerala Congress factions.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), remains the third major force, attempting to expand its base in the state.

However, Kerala politics continues to be largely a bipolar contest between the LDF and the UDF.