'Lost election by just 89 votes in 2016, never did any political stunt'; K Surendran responds to Thrissur election fraud row

THRISSUR: BJP leader K Surendran responded to the allegations raised by both UDF and LDF that BJP was involved in election fraud to ensure Suresh Gopi's victory in the last Lok Sabha elections. Surendran, through his latest Facebook post, called out the hypocrisy of both fronts, as he said that they were still reeling in anguish over the BJP victory in Thrissur.

K SURENDRAN:

They tried to ridicule Suresh Gopi before the elections, and he surpassed all humiliations to emerge as the winner. Shocked by the win, both fronts are trying new tricks from their sleeve to continue their attack on the MoS.

First, it was Pooram ruckus and then election fraud. It is surprisingly disgraceful to stoop this low for the opposition to continue in anguish over the BJP win in Thrissur. Don't forget that Suresh Gopi won by getting more than three and a half lakh votes. It should be remembered that Suresh Gopi led even in my dear friend Sunil Kumar's booth and in the Anthikad panchayat. Thus, Suresh Gopi achieved a comprehensive lead in six out of seven assembly constituencies in the Thrissur parliamentary constituency.

It was UDF candidate K. Muraleedharan who openly blamed a few Congress leaders for stabbing him from the back. Jose Vallur was removed from the post of DCC president because of this. Similar organisational actions took place in the CPI and CPM.

The CPM state conference even accepted the BJP’s victory, as they reasoned that 20 per cent of Hindu votes from Thrissur favoured the saffron party. Despite all this, some people still cannot accept Suresh Gopi's victory, as their brain is clogged with dirt. Another allegation is that the BJP increased its votes by transferring votes from adjacent constituencies. The BJP got more than one lakh votes in the adjacent Alathur constituency. The votes increased gradually in Palakkad and Ponnani. The BJP has added votes in all constituencies in the parliamentary elections.

We lost in two seats by just one and a half per cent of the votes. Yet we did not mock democracy. In 2016, I lost the Manjeswaram seat by just 89 votes. Even people from the Gulf, members of the Muslim League, cast fake votes. We went for a legal battle, and refrained from any political stunt to gain attention. It is because we respect democracy.