Thiruvananthapuram | Congress MLA-elect from Alappuzha A D Thomas on Tuesday said strong action would be taken over the alleged assault on party workers, including himself, by gunmen of then CM Pinarayi Vijayan during the 2023 Nava Kerala Sadas, after the UDF government assumes charge.

Thomas told reporters here that as soon as the UDF chief minister takes oath, a complaint will be lodged seeking a reinvestigation and appropriate action in the matter.

He said that a reinvestigation of the matter was necessary, as police had refused to entertain an initial complaint, and it was only after the court intervened that further steps were taken.

However, after conducting an investigation, the police submitted a report to the court stating that no such incident occurred, he said.

Thomas, a former Kerala Students Union (KSU) leader, contended that it was an incident seen by everyone in the world through news reports.

"We again moved the court, which ordered a reinvestigation. But that probe has not reached anywhere. After the UDF government comes to power, a report will have to be submitted to the court. Subsequently, appropriate action will be taken," he contended.

The Nava Kerala Sadas was an outreach programme conducted by the Left government in 2023 and had invited widespread protests from the Congress, its youth and student outfits, which had waved black flags at then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his entourage.

In one such incident, activists of the Congress and KSU, including Thomas, were allegedly assaulted by Vijayan's security personnel in Alappuzha for waving black flags at him, according to visuals on TV channels.