A birthday programme for former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj in Tirunelveli turned tense after a clash broke out among Congress party functionaries.
The event was held near the district Congress office at Vannarapettai. In the presence of Congress MP Robert Bruce, participants took a pledge against bribery and corruption. During the programme, an argument reportedly erupted over posing for photographs.
Former district presidents Sankarapandiyan and Umapathi Sivan allegedly pushed each other and then came to blows, disrupting the pledge-taking. Party functionaries intervened to separate them, and police were deployed at the venue.
Following the incident, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore directed that disciplinary action be initiated. The party’s disciplinary committee issued notices to both leaders, seeking written explanations within 10 days.
Meanwhile, both sides filed complaints with the police, each alleging that the other used caste-based slurs and attempted to murder them. Police said they have received the complaints and are conducting an inquiry, with the cross-allegations adding to the controversy.
