KOCHI: Infighting in the Indian National League (INL), a constituent of Kerala's ruling LDF, reached its peak after supporters of two warring factions in the party came to blows in the presence of its leaders here on Sunday.
A scuffle broke out in front of a hotel after a section of INL leaders led by its president A P Abdul Wahab boycotted the party's working committee meeting alleging anti-democratic actions by general secretary Kasim Irikkoor, party sources said.
In the previous meeting, Irikkoor had 'omitted' the names of two senior leaders while preparing the minutes, which is said to have provoked the Wahab faction.
When Irikkoor's action was questioned at todays' meet, it triggered a war of words between the two groups following which the faction led by Wahab walked out, they said.
Police reached the spot in large numbers and used force to disperse the supporters of the groups fighting outside the hotel.
Amid the melee, Ahammad Devarkovil, the Minister for Ports, was escorted out of the hotel where the working committee meeting was held allegedly violating COVID-19 protocol.
Dismissing allegations, party leaders claimed that the meeting was organised adhering to Covid protocol.
Indian National League was formed in 1994 after a split in the Indian Union Muslim League.
The party, a member of the CPI-led Left Democratic Front, was given ministerial berth for the first time in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government after the front's emphatic win in the Assembly polls held in April this year.
