An affidavit filed by the State government before the Kerala High Court on March 29 citing registration of 242 cases against BJP candidate in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency K. Surendran has kicked up a row with the party alleging a conspiracy hatched by the ruling CPI(M).
Hundreds of BJP workers and sympathisers assembled in Pathanamthitta town to protest against the alleged government move to create hurdles on Mr. Surendran’s run up to the election.
As per the government’s affidavit, Mr. Surendran is facing 242 cases registered against him at various police stations across the State in connection with the Sabarimala women’s entry issue.
The affidavit submitted by Mr. Surendran along with his nomination papers had mentioned only 20 cases. Mr. Surendran said he had obtained bail from the District Court in Palakkad on March 28 in connection with the last case registered against him.
BJP spokesman M.S. Kumar told reporters here on Wednesday that Mr. Surendran had not received any notice on the new 222 cases reportedly registered against him at various police stations as stated in the government’s affidavit.
Mr. Surendran said he did not find any valid reason for submitting a new set of nomination papers as he was not at all informed by the authorities concerned on the ‘fresh’ cases at the time of filing papers on March 30.
Mr. Kumar alleged that the fabrication of cases against Mr. Surendran had exposed the CPIM)’s ‘dirty game’ to eliminate him as he had become a real threat to the ruling front in the election.
He said Mr. Surendran would file a new set of nomination papers, with necessary corrections in terms of the number of police cases registered against him, before Returning Officer P.B. Noohu on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) workers staged a dharna in front of the Mini Civil Station accusing the government of fabricating fresh cases against Mr .Surendran and other party leaders.