Kerela polls: In Palakkad, ‘cash-for-votes’ row keeps BJP on back foot

PALAKKAD: The controversy over the alleged cash-for-votes attempt by BJP workers in Palakkad assembly constituency continued to put the party on the defensive on polling day. While Shobha Surendran, the BJP candidate in Palakkad, challenged the media and political rivals to prove that those seen in the video were BJP workers, the controversy refused to die down. Congress workers had alleged that BJP workers gave Rs 5,000 to an elderly woman named Devu, a resident of Kannadi grama panchayat in Palakkad, in an attempt to influence her vote. They had also released video footage of the alleged cash handover on Wednesday. Election commission (EC) had launched an inquiry into the incident while the district collector is expected to submit the final report to the chief electoral officer (CEO) on Friday. Palakkad Town South police had registered a case on Wednesday against identifiable NDA workers in connection with the incident. On Thursday, Surendran dismissed the video and said it was a ‘drama' created by some media outlets in collaboration with Congress workers. Surendran also said that the claim that a woman had come all the way from Mumbai to distribute money in Palakkad constituency was difficult to believe. She denied allegations that the same woman was seen sitting with her in a car and said such claims were false. Surendran added that she had filed a complaint with the EC against those spreading what she described as fake propaganda. Meanwhile, LDF candidate NMR Razak alleged that BJP had been making various attempts to influence voters in Palakkad. He claimed that there had already been information that BJP was secretly distributing cash and sarees to women voters in the constituency.