'Shwetha Menon is a Modi fan, party doesn't need crores to win anyone over’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP said that they will not interfere in the ongoing issues within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). BJP state general secretary S Suresh told media that the party has no role in AMMA's internal affairs.

‘Do not drag the BJP into this issue. Some politicians in the guise of film personalities are trying to involve the BJP. Reports that BJP interference in the film industry are incorrect. The BJP is not in a plight where it needs to use intermediaries or spend crores of rupees to influence anyone. Had Suresh Gopi remained solely in cinema, he could have earned crores. He joined the BJP because he believes in nationalism.

Shwetha Menon is not a BJP representative. She is a nationalist and an admirer of Narendra Modi, but is not a BJP member. When Innocent was AMMA president, the BJP did not accuse the CPM of taking over the organization. Likewise, when Ramesh Pisharody headed the ad hoc committee, we did not accuse the Congress. We have maintained political decency,’ said Suresh.

Meantime, former AMMA joint secretary Ansiba Hassan, along with Mala Parvathy, Usha Haseena and Maya Viswanath, alleged at a press conference that Shwetha Menon had made a communal move.

They also referred to BJP leader Padmaja S Menon's statement claiming that Shwetha Menon had said that AMMA would get Rs15 crore from a corporate company, adding that the association did not want such money.

When Baburaj alleged in a public meeting that she had taken Rs 2 crore to field a candidate for the BJP, Shwetha Menon left without responding. When questioned about it, they tried to brand Ansiba as a communalist and a jihadi. There was an attempt to create communal polarization within AMMA.