The BJP’s Kerala unit, embroiled in allegations of use of black money in the April 6 assembly polls in the state, again landed in controversy after former BSP candidate claimed that he had to withdraw his nomination against BJP state unit chief K Surendran. 15 lakh rupees was offered to withdraw his nomination. The BJP dismissed the allegations as baseless and said it was a conspiracy against the party.
Surendran’s namesake from Manjeshwaram assembly constituency in Kasaragod district, BSP candidate K. Sundar had withdrawn his nomination papers on March 22. However, Surendran lost the election. Independent candidate Sundar got 467 votes during the 2016 assembly elections due to the similarity in their names. In this election, Surendran was defeated by IUML candidate P.B. Abdul Razzak by 80 votes.
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Sundar told reporters, “BJP leaders asked me to withdraw my candidature. I demanded Rs 15 lakh but they only gave a mobile phone of Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 15 thousand. On winning the seat, I had asked him to allot a liquor shop in Karnataka. But he didn’t even call me after the elections were over.
Besides withdrawing his candidature, Sundar joined the BJP. The Manjeshwaram assembly was one of the seats where the BJP was expected to win in Kerala. The BJP, however, denied the allegations.
Regarding this an FIR has been filed against Kerala BJP president K Surendran for allegedly offering a bribe to a BSP candidate to withdraw his nominsation from contesting the recently-held Assembly elections.