Kerala elections 2026: Cash-for-vote row in Palakkad, BJP candidate faces probe

PALAKKAD: A fresh political controversy erupted in Palakkad just hours before the assembly elections after Congress workers released a video on social media alleging that BJP workers distributed cash to influence voters in the constituency. Party workers alleged that NDA candidate Shobha Surendran and some BJP workers visited a house in Kannadi grama panchayat and gave money to an elderly voter named Devu on Wednesday morning.As the video went viral, the issue quickly became a major political flashpoint, with UDF and LDF using it to attack BJP in the final hours of silent campaigns. However, Surendran denied the allegation and termed it baseless. She alleged that Congress targeted her because she was confident of winning in Palakkad. She also alleged that a local Congress leader and a journalist were behind the accusations and said she would file a police complaint against them. The video shot by Congress workers showed a lady in a white dress giving cash to an elderly woman at a house in Tharuvakurissi. Congress workers said this lady was a BJP worker who came with Surendran and that the footage was secretly recorded on a mobile phone. They also claimed that Surendran was present nearby in the car used by BJP workers when the incident happened.Congress workers alleged that a BJP worker distributed money after visiting a nearby home where a person had died. They later confronted Surendran over the alleged cash distribution and she objected to being recorded on their mobile phones.Surendran claimed that she had gone to Kannadi grama panchayat to visit a cancer patient and that Congress workers had followed her continuously since Wednesday morning. She alleged that they tried to stop her vehicle, accused her of distributing money to voters and used abusive language. She claimed that this forced her to react angrily.Meanwhile, collector M S Madhavikutty said a preliminary enquiry was completed and a report had been submitted to the chief electoral officer. The collector said the video footage will be investigated further and the matter will be handed over to the police for a detailed enquiry. She added that a final report will be submitted before April 11. As part of the initial enquiry, the collector said she had spoken to Surendran, though her formal statement was not recorded.Soon after the video surfaced, election department's flying squad and the district special branch reached Kannadi and collected statements from those linked to the incident. Officials also recorded Devu's statement.When reporters asked whether anyone had given her money, Devu said she had not received money from anyone but added that she was told money would be given. She said she had asked for money to buy her medicines.