An ordinary piece of luggage has sparked a whirlwind of speculation, captivating voters and setting social media ablaze. It has also caused political parties to shift focus from development issues.
Published Nov 10, 2024 | 5:00 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 24, 2024 | 8:23 PM
Rahul Mamkootathil with a blue trolley bag. (Supplied)
It was expected that sparks would fly in Palakkad’s high-stakes Assembly by-election, but none foresaw that a blue trolley bag would steal the thunder, thrusting itself into the heart of the campaign.
This ordinary piece of luggage has sparked a whirlwind of speculation, captivating voters and setting social media ablaze. It has also caused political parties to shift focus from development issues.
What secrets does this bag hold? We may have to wait till 23 November, when the poll results are out, to know.
On 6 November, a midnight police raid at the KPM Regency, the hotel where Congress leaders were staying during the campaign, quickly spiralled into a political storm.
Acting on a tip-off that UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil was hiding a stash of black money, police officers descended on the hotel, combing through 12 rooms till dawn.
Among those raided were the rooms of Congress leaders Shanimol Usman and Bindu Krishna, both of whom objected to the investigations since they were conducted in the absence of women police personnel.
Fierce protests erupted, with accusations and counter-accusations flying thick and fast. Congress, CPI(M), and BJP members crowded the hotel lobby and engaged in heated exchanges.
In the following hours, the scene shifted to a clash between CPI(M) workers, led by MPs AA Rahim and Nithin Kanichery, and Congress leaders VK Sreekandan and Shafi Parambil, who questioned the raid’s timing, execution, and political motives.
The Congress leaders accused CPI(M) of conspiring with the BJP to destabilise their campaign, pointing to how quickly CPI(M) and BJP members appeared on the scene.
Adding intrigue to the unfolding drama, UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil took to Facebook Live at around 2.30 am on 6 November outside the Town Police Station in Kozhikode — his virtual alibi to debunk allegations that he was in Palakkad during the raid.
The live stream, which showed Mamkootathil apparently far from the scene of the raid, added fuel to the political firestorm.
The Congress launched intense protests statewide, condemning the raid as a targeted attack.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan wrote to the Election Commission of India, accusing the CPI(M)-led government of manipulating the police force and using it as a political weapon.
He also came out with the allegation that the “raid drama” was orchestrated by Minister for Local Administration MB Rajesh.
In a dramatic twist, Rahul Mamkootathil added fuel to the intrigue by holding a press meet with none other than a blue trolley bag by his side.
With Satheesan’s letter and Mamkootathil’s late-night alibi adding fresh twists, the round one was won by the Congress.
As the blue trolley bag continued to stoke speculation, CPI(M) district secretary EN Suresh Babu claimed it had been stuffed with black money. He said the party would release CCTV footage to provide evidence to back the accusation.
The CCTV footage from KPM Hotel showed KSU activist Fenni Ninan arriving with a blue trolley bag and entering a room.
The eight-minute video, recorded between 10.11 pm and 11.30 pm, also showed Congress leaders Parambil, Sreekandan, and Jyothikumar Chamakkala entering the hotel and conversing in the hallway.
The footage displayed Ninan entering and exiting the room with the trolley bag, as well as a subsequent hallway conversation between Mamkoottathil, the UDF candidate in Palakkad, Parambil, and Chamakkala.
Following this exchange, Mamkoottathil is seen leaving the area while Chamakkala and Parambil return to the room.
While the CPI(M) said the presence of conspicuous persons including Ninan pointed to black money exchange, Congress said that the CPI(M), joining hands with the BJP, was letting loose a string of baseless allegations.
Saner voices within the ruling CPI(M) have reportedly warned that excessive focus on the blue trolley bag could backfire, potentially impacting the party’s performance in the upcoming elections.
They argued that it was crucial for the CPI(M) to draw the attention of voters to more pressing issues.
However, others within the party felt the matter should not be allowed to fade.
The BJP, meanwhile, has been attempting to draw attention to the detail that there might have been a deal between the CPI(M) and the Congress, as information about the impending raid had allegedly leaked to the Congress leaders.
Is there more than meets the eye in that blue trolley bag? Will ordinary voters ever know? The bypoll is set for 20 November. Votes will be counted on 23 November.
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas).
