BJP Kerala chief booked for 'bribing' candidate for withdrawing nomination in assembly elections
Kasaragod, Jun 7: Police on Monday registered a case against BJP Kerala chief K Surendran for allegedly threatening and bribing K Sundara for withdrawing his nomination as a candidate in the Manjeswaram Assembly constituency in the April 6 state Assembly elections.
The case was registered as per the directions of a magistrate court which considered a petition filed by V V Ramesan, the CPI(M) candidate who fought the election against Surendran in Manjeswaram, police said.
The case was filed under sections 171 (B) and (E) (Bribery) of the IPC, police told PTI.
"No arrest should be made without a warrant," the court observed.
Sundara, who filed his nomination as Bahujan Samajwadi Party candidate, had recently alleged that he was initially threatened and later given Rs 2.5 lakh as bribe by the BJP to withdraw from the contest.
He had alleged that it was Sunil Naik, a Yuvamorcha leader and a close aide of the BJP state president K Surendran who handed over the money and a smart phone.
The BJP has dismissed all allegations and termed it as a conspiracy against the party.
Sundara, a Yakshagana artiste, had contested in 2016 but had withdrawn in 2021 in order to pave the win of Surendran.
Sundara had secured 467 votes in the 2016 election in which Surendran lost to the UDF candidate by 89 votes.
Based on Sundara's disclosures, the Kasaragod police had conducted a preliminary inquiry.
That apart, V V Ramesan also filed a petition in this regard with the district police chief P B Rajeev.
However, the police informed the petitioner that a case could be registered only with the concurrence of the court.
The BJP in Kerala has been on the backfoot following allegations of 'hawala' money transactions vis-a-vis the recent Kodakara highway robbery episode at Thrissur against some BJP state leaders.
A special investigation team,, probing the heist case, has questioned the party organisation secretary M Ganeshan and party office secretary Girish in this connection.
Wayanad-based Janadhipathya Rashtreeya Party (JRP) leader Praseeda Azhikode claimed recently that K Surendran had bribed Tribal leader and JRP chairperson C K Janu to contest as NDA candidate in Sultan Bathery.
The BJP has dismissed the allegation.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
