Police conducted late-night searches at a Palakkad hotel, inspecting rooms of Congress leaders, including Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman, for suspected black money related to the upcoming by-election. Congress leaders protested, calling it a targeted action, while LDF leaders demanded a thorough review of hotel records. The by-election, postponed to November 20, was necessitated after Shafi Parambil’s Lok Sabha victory.