KASARGOD: A case has been registered against BJP state president K Surendran for allegedly bribing BS candidate K Sundara to withdraw his nomination papers. The case was registered by the Badiyadukka police under sections 171 (B) and 171 (E) of the IPC.

LDF candidate VV Ramesan had filed an application in the Kasargod court seeking a case against Surendran following Sundara's revelation that BJP leaders had visited his house and paid him Rs 2.5 lakh and a smartphone. Following this, the court granted permission to file a case against Surendran.

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Sundara, a Yakshagana artiste, had contested in 2016 but had withdrawn in 2021 in order to pave the win of Surendran.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.