Kerala BJP chief appears before Police

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala BJP president K Surendran on Thursday appeared before the Kasargode Crime Branch police officials after he was summoned in an election bribery case filed against him.

A local court had directed the Police to register a case under the Election Commission rules when a complaint was given against Surendran and two other local BJP leaders, after it surfaced that money was paid to the BSP candidate K Sundara to withdraw his nomination at the Manjeswaram assembly constituency in the April 6 assembly polls. Surendran in the April 6 assembly polls had contested from two constituencies - Konni and Manjeswaram. Surendran was closeted with the officials for over 75 minutes and according to sources in the know of things he denied knowing Sundara.

He also pointed out that since he has the highest respect and regards for the law of the land, he came before the probe officials. The CPI-M candidate from the constituency V.V. Ramesan who finished third is the complainant and the Kasargode First Class Magistrate Court gave the nod to register a case against Surendran and two others. When votes were counted on May 2, the Congress led UDF candidate AKM Ashraff defeated Surendran with a margin of 745 votes. Incidentally, it was Sundara himself who made an open admission to the media that he was given Rs 2.5 lakh and a Smartphone to pull out from the election. He said that he was also offered Rs 15 lakh, a home, and a wine parlour in Karnataka if Surendran wins.

Since then the ruling CPI-M led Left was up in arms against this disclosure, but this charge was then promptly denied by Surendran and his party that no such thing has happened.