Thiruvananthapuram, November 10: For the fourth straight day, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the state capital city has been literally turned into a battle ground with the police taking on the protesters from the BJP and the Congress, who are demanding the resignation of Mayor Arya Rajendran for trying to give jobs to 295 CPI(M) activists.

On Thursday morning, the activists from the Mahila Congress on one side and the BJP Yuva Morcha were engaged in protests in front of the Corporation office and trouble started after Congress Rajya Sabha member Jebi Methar while taking part in the protests came under a police attack and was moved to the hospital.

The police fired tear gas shells, used water cannons and lathis to chase away the protesters. BJP State president, who addressed his party workers said they were going to intensify their stir all across the state as this was happening everywhere and the CPI(M) workers were given jobs through the back door.

"We will not allow this to happen and will now spread the protests across the state. The Mayor should resign and the Council be dissolved," said Surendran. Methar, who also heads the Kerala Mahila Congress, led the protests with a big suitcase with a sticker asking the young Mayor to quit and go to Kozhikode - (she recently married young CPI-M legislator Sachin Dev who hails from Kozhikode).

"Yes, we don't want this Mayor in Thiruvananthapuram and hence let her go to Kozhikode," said Methar. The Crime Branch police have been asked by the state Police chief to give a report about the letter controversy and this has irked the protesters as under normal circumstances, the police register a case. CPIM Believes in Legitimacy of Violence: Kerala Governor.

Even after Rajendran has said that she has not written the letter, many are baffled as to why an FIR has not been registered. At a high power meeting of the ruling Left Democratic Front held here on Thursday, the CPI -- the second biggest ally in the government -- wanted all the temporary jobs in the government to be handed over to the Employment Exchange as the way to get back the confidence of the youth.

According to the figures there are a record over four million youths registered with the Employment Exchange waiting for a temporary/ permanent government job.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 10, 2022 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).