The CPI(M) in Pathanamthitta faced backlash after a campaign video promoting UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil was mistakenly uploaded to its official Facebook page. Initially, the party claimed the page was hacked, but investigations revealed it was posted by an admin.
Palakkad: The CPI(M) district unit in Pathanamthitta found itself in an awkward situation when a promotional video endorsing Rahul Mamkootathil, the UDF candidate for the Palakkad Assembly constituency, was shared on its official Facebook page. Following the controversy over the Facebook post, the Pathanamthitta district secretary of the CPI(M) claimed that the party’s official page had been hacked. He also stated that a complaint had been filed with the cyber police regarding the incident.
However, investigations revealed that the incident was not a case of hacking. It was discovered that one of the page’s admins had uploaded the campaign video of Rahul Mamkootathil.
This finding disproved the district secretary’s earlier claim of hacking. Meanwhile, the party has yet to file a formal complaint specifically concerning the posting of the campaign video on its official page.
The 57-second video, titled Rahul: A Marvel of Love, featured Mamkootathil campaigning door-to-door and was posted on the 'CPI(M) Pathanamthitta' page on Saturday evening (Nov 9). The video sparked widespread debate on social media but was promptly taken down.
At first, the CPI(M) tried to minimize the situation by asserting that the video had been shared on a fake page. However, the party quickly shifted its position, suggesting that its official page had been hacked. "It seems the video was uploaded by someone who hacked the page. We intend to file a police complaint regarding this," stated K.P. Udayabhanu, secretary of the CPI(M) Pathanamthitta district committee.
The BJP claimed the incident exposed a "deal" between the LDF and UDF ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly by-polls.
The by-polls are scheduled for November 13 in the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and Chelakkara Assembly constituency, while the Palakkad Assembly by-election is set for November 20.
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