The charged political atmosphere in Pathanamthitta, caught in an intense three-way Lok Sabha contest, has taken a curious turn with candidates from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) locking horns over campus violence.
The latest battle line emerged during a recent public debate organised by the Pathanamthitta Press Club, in which Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate T.M. Thomas Isaac and United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate Anto Antony actively participated, while Anil Antony, the National Democratic Alliance candidate, was notably absent.
Though the debate initially delved on topics ranging from development to farm distress, the focus eventually shifted to campus violence. Mr. Antony accused the Students Federation of India (SFI), a CPI(M)-backed student organisation, of inciting violence on college campuses. Mr. Isaac hit back at his opponent, challenging Mr. Antony to provide evidence of even one Kerala Students Union (KSU) activist killed in attack by the SFI.
