By Ashraf Padanna
Thiruvananthapuram

At least two people died and several injured in clashes between the opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kerala.
The Communists and the Hindu nationalists also observed shutdowns in their respective strongholds as the clashes continued after the death of a CPI-M worker in Kasaragod and a BJP worker in Thrissur.
BJP president in the state V Muraleedharan accused the CPI-M of unleashing violence on his party to prevent erosion of its cadres into the saffron party.
“They are worried over the party’s poor showing in elections and erosion in its cadres. Their members are leaving and joining BJP in large numbers,” he said.
The BJP also accused the police of discriminatory action in favour of the principal opposition group alternating power in the state.
CPI-M leader Pinarayi Vijayan, however, blamed the Congress-led ruling coalition for the spurt in violence.
Poll analyses have found increasing vote share of the BJP spoiling the electoral prospects of the predominantly Hindu CPI-M and its allies.
“The BJP leaders are emboldened by the support they were receiving from (Chief Minister) Oommen Chandy,” said Vijayan, widely touted as its chief ministerial candidate in the next year’s general elections. “The camaraderie was evident in a series of recent events”.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala warned rioters, targeting “planned killings”, of strict action if they did not refrain from violence and help the authorities to maintain calm.
“All of a sudden there were two killings yesterday. The spurt in violence is a result of a well-planned strategy (of rival parties),” he said.
“The police would deal them with all its force. The troublemakers should not expect any leniency. The police would take action irrespective of their political affiliations, and they would be brought to justice.”
A strike was called yesterday in the northernmost Kasargode district by CPI-M to protest the killing of its worker C Narayanan, 40, allegedly by BJP workers in Kannhangad.
His brother Aravindan, 30, also suffered serious stab wounds in the attack on their farm. Police booked two people in connection with the incident here.
A BJP worker Abhilash, 32, was stabbed to death by alleged CPI-M activists at Vellikulangara in the central district of Thrissur.
Residents later detained two assailants and handed them over to the police.
They later enforced shutdown in the neighbouring Kannur districts after several houses and party establishments were ransacked by rival party activists in Azheekkal. Four people were hurt in the attacks.
Police have clamped prohibitory orders against gatherings and demonstrations for a week.
Two BJP workers were stabbed in Thodupuzha in Idukki district allegedly by the CPI-M. The CPI-M office was destroyed in retaliatory stoning.