The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has reignited debate over the “trolley bag fiasco” linked to the Palakkad byelection, following a recent incident in Nilambur. Police stopped and inspected a vehicle carrying Vadakara MP and Congress working president Shafi Parambil at a checkpoint in Vadapuram, near the Nilambur constituency border.

State Congress chief Sunny Joseph alleged that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government is weaponizing the police force to intimidate UDF leaders. According to Joseph, only vehicles linked to opposition parties were being subjected to searches.

Along with Parambil, Youth Congress state head and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, and Muslim Youth League’s P K Firos were also in the vehicle. Their bags too were checked by the police, though no objectionable items were found. A video from the scene shows Parambil allowing the search but expressing strong discontent. “We didn’t magically become MPs yesterday,” he remarked.

Joseph called the act a politically charged move. “Elected officials are rarely subjected to such scrutiny. This mirrors the old Palakkad-style strategy under the current regime,” he said.

Election officials, however, dismissed any link to the previous Palakkad episode, where hotel rooms of two Congress leaders were searched at night without female police personnel — also yielding nothing.

Election Police Observer Arunangshu Giri assured that the matter would be taken up with Malappuram’s top cop. He clarified that routine checks are in place at three Nilambur border points, and all vehicles face equal scrutiny.

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