KASARGOD: BJP state president K Surendran is contesting from two assembly constituencies -- Manjeshwar, where he lost by 89 votes in 2016, and Konni, the epicentre of Sabarimala protest.
It is the first time a BJP leader is contesting from two constituencies in Kerala. Surendran, who took a chopper to reach Manjeshwar on Sunday, said that he was contesting from the two constituencies because the people of both the places inspired confidence in him and the party.
In Manjeshwar, he said, he lost by 89 votes to PB Abdul Razak "because of bogus voting and cheating by the IUML with the help of the CPM". "It is important that the BJP reclaim Manjeshwar," he said. To be sure, he had gone to the High Court alleging bogus voting but could not prove his charge.
On Konni, Surendran said it was an emotional decision to contest from the constituency. "Konni had given me a lot of emotional experience during the Sabarimala protest," he said.
He said that Sabarimala is an issue in this election. "Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said he regretted what happened in Sabarimala. It was him and the chief minister who allowed women to enter Sabarimala," he said.
"It is an election issue, whether I contest in Konni or not," he said and added that he was contesting in the two constituencies because the people of both the places reposed faith in him. To be sure, in the byelection held in 2019, he came third behind the LDF and the UDF candidates with 39,786 votes in Konni. Surendran said the BJP has brought out an "impressive list".
He said that the BJP has fielded luminaries from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in unreserved seats. "You will find many women in our list of candidates," he said.
He said that the BJP has given importance to religious minorities. "We have fielded eight Christian and two Muslim candidates," he said and added that the BJP's list of candidates was a reflection of Kerala society.
"It is a serious effort. We have big hopes of forming the government," he said. As the party’s president, Surendran said, he would be campaigning in all the constituencies in Kerala. "In Manjeshwar and Konni, our party workers will take up the campaign. We have lakhs of party workers," he said.