india

Updated: Nov 16, 2019 21:10 IST

Congress MP from Kanniyakumari, H Vasanthakumar, was arrested along with Tamil Nadu MLA JG Prince and over 300 party supporters for staging a road blockade at Nagercoil in protest against the potholed national highway on Saturday.

The protest led by Vasanthakumar, his first after Lok Sabha polls, also marked participation of all Kanniyakumari MLAs, in a welcome break from the routine factional feuds in the district unit.

The national highway from Kalaiyakavilai to Kavalkinaru and Kanniyakumari is in a bad shape, posing inconvenience and threat to commuters. Congress had planned protests at two spots, at Nagercoil in front of the District Collectorate and at Kaliyakavilai, to press for the repair of the national highway.

Before their arrest, the protestors led by Vasanthakumar and JG Prince squatted on the road disrupting traffic after they were prevented by the police from marching to the Nagercoil collectorate.

At Kaliyakavilai, Congress protestors led by MLAs, Rajeshkumar and Vjayadharani, blocked the traffic and raised slogans against the Central and state governments.

The Congress and the BJP often engage in turf war in coastal Kanniyakumari, where the BJP has a strong presence.

Police sources said the arrested Congress leaders and workers were later released.