Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5 (IANS): The NCP (SP) office in Thiruvananthapuram was vandalised on Wednesday after two rival groups clashed with each other, injuring a few party cadres and also damaging office furniture.

The NCP (SP) unit is an ally in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government. The party has two MLAs including state Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran and Thomas K. Thomas. However, both leaders are at loggerheads.

Kerala NCP (SP) is headed by former Congress MP P.C. Chacko. There has been growing friction in the state unit after National President Sharad Pawar asked Saseendran to leave the Forest Ministry so that Thomas could take over. However, such an arrangement is yet to take place with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan backing Saseendran.

Following, Sharad Pawar’s instructions, Kerala NCP (SP) has been deeply divided between the Saseendran group and Thomas group while Chacko is playing on both sides.

In another jolt to the party, Chacko had removed Attukal Aji as the party’s district president during a meeting in January and had asked Satish Kumar to take over temporarily. However, Aji flatly refused to comply with the state President’s directions.

On Wednesday, trouble broke out between the party workers of Aji and Kumar’s factions in which he (Kumar) was beaten along with his supporters.

Police intervened and brought the situation under control at the office headquarters.

Thomas K. Thomas, who won from the Kuttanad Assembly constituency in Alappuzha, is the brother of the former state minister Thomas Chandy.

The state NCP (SP) decided to give the Kuttanad Assembly constituency seat to Thomas during the 2021 Assembly elections which he won comfortably. However, many in the NCP (SP) felt that he (Thomas) should not have been given the seat, leading to fractions in the state unit of the NCP (SP).