LDF-UDF joined hands against Sugathan, alleges Kerala BJP at Assembly protest
Synopsis
The BJP took its fight over councillor R. Sugathan's KAAPA detention to the steps of the Kerala Assembly on 13 October, with senior leaders alleging an unprecedented LDF-UDF alliance aimed at toppling the party's control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation — a claim that, if it sticks, reframes a local civic row as a cross-coalition assault on a democratic mandate.
Key Takeaways
BJP leaders and family members of councillor R.
Sugathan protested outside the Kerala Assembly on 13 October .
The party alleged both LDF and UDF colluded to misuse KAAPA against Sugathan, detaining him for nearly four months .
Sreelekha IPS called the detention 'one of the darkest chapters in Kerala's history.' V.
Muraleedharan vowed the BJP-led Thiruvananthapuram Corporation administration would complete its full five-year term .
Senior leaders including Rajeev Chandrasekhar , Shobha Surendran , and Deputy Mayor Asha Nath attended the demonstration.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and family members of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor R. Sugathan staged a protest outside the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 13 October, alleging that both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) had colluded in a political vendetta against Sugathan by misusing the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). The demonstration targeted what BJP leaders described as a coordinated attempt to destabilise the party's administration in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
Key Allegations at the Protest
BJP state vice-president R. Sreelekha IPS led the demonstration, describing the detention of an elected representative for nearly four months under KAAPA as 'one of the darkest chapters in Kerala's history.' She alleged that the LDF and UDF had joined hands in what she termed political vendetta against Sugathan, whom she described as a young leader who had risen through the party's ranks following the BJP's gains in the Corporation elections. Sreelekha said it was 'highly condemnable' that a law designed to prevent serious crimes was allegedly being weaponised against a public representative.
Muraleedharan's Warning on Democratic Norms
Former Union Minister and BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan asserted that the cases against Sugathan would not weaken the party. He alleged that certain political actors were hoping to topple the BJP-led Corporation administration by exploiting the absence of one councillor. 'In a democracy, those who enjoy public support should govern,' Muraleedharan said. He added that refusing to accept the people's mandate and undermining democratic institutions reflected a lack of faith in the Constitution. Muraleedharan also drew a parallel, alleging that the approach adopted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and the Left in Kerala reflected the same political attitude.
BJP's Claim on Corporation Governance
Muraleedharan maintained that the BJP came to power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in direct response to the public's desire for a BJP Mayor, and that the current administration would complete its full five-year term. He said the party would continue working to retain public confidence and deliver governance in the interests of the city's residents.
Senior Leadership Present
BJP state president and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar, state general secretaries Shobha Surendran and advocate S. Suresh, state vice-president K. Soman, state secretary Poonthura Sreekumar, Corporation Deputy Mayor Asha Nath, city district president Karamana Jayan, councillor R. Sugathan himself, along with other councillors and party workers, attended the protest. The broad turnout of senior functionaries signals that the party intends to keep the issue in the political spotlight ahead of any moves that could alter the Corporation's power balance.
Point of View
Neutralising the usual Kerala binary of Left versus Congress. Whether KAAPA was lawfully invoked or misused is a matter for courts, but using a preventive detention law against a sitting elected councillor for four months warrants independent scrutiny regardless of political colour. The deeper issue is the fragility of the BJP's hold on the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation: a single councillor's absence is reportedly enough to threaten the administration's arithmetic, which speaks to how thin the party's mandate actually is. The national BJP's visibility at this protest — through figures like Muraleedharan and Chandrasekhar — signals that the party views Thiruvananthapuram Corporation as a beachhead in Kerala that it cannot afford to lose.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the BJP protest outside the Kerala Assembly on 13 October?
The BJP staged the protest to demand an end to what it alleged were false cases against councillor R. Sugathan and the misuse of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) to detain him for nearly four months. The party also accused the LDF and UDF of colluding to destabilise its administration in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
What is KAAPA and why is its use being contested?
KAAPA, the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, is a preventive detention law designed to deal with serious criminal and anti-social elements. BJP leaders allege it is being misused against an elected public representative, arguing that invoking it against a sitting councillor is a gross overreach of the statute's intended purpose.
How does Sugathan's detention affect the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation?
BJP MLA V. Muraleedharan alleged that political rivals are hoping to use the absence of one BJP councillor to tip the Corporation's power balance and topple the BJP-led administration. The BJP holds a slim majority, making a single vacancy potentially consequential to governance.
Who are the key BJP figures involved in this protest?
The protest was led by BJP state vice-president R. Sreelekha IPS and attended by former Union Minister and MLA V. Muraleedharan, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, state general secretaries Shobha Surendran and S. Suresh, Deputy Mayor Asha Nath, and several other senior party leaders and councillors.
What has the BJP said about the future of the Corporation administration?
V. Muraleedharan stated that the BJP came to power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in response to public demand for a BJP Mayor and that the current administration will complete its full five-year term. The party said it will continue working to retain public confidence and serve the city's residents.
