Mudslinging costs LJP its lone seat

Kochi: Internal schism in Lok Janshakti Party cost it a seat-the party's lone one--on Tuesday , with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance deciding to field a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader at Thrikkakara in Ernakulam district.
The seat was allotted to LJP's Vivek K Vijayan, whose campaign was on full steam. The candidate on Wednesday alleged that the party's state president M Mehaboob demanded Rs 5 lakh for his candidature.
Refuting the allegation, Mehaboob told newspersons that the LJP was withdrawing Vijayan from the fray since the latter had misused the allotted election fund.
It was learnt that the public mudslinging of the two LJP leaders prompted NDA to take back the seat.
The NDA would field S Saji, VHP's former vibhag secretary in Ernakulam, and a formal announcement was likely at the earliest.
Thrikkakara was the lone seat allotted to LJP in the state.
“Vivek had already started campaigning, but following an internal issue in his party , we decided to take back the seat from LJP and field our own candidate,“ a BJP district leader said.
Decrying the “negative development“ at a time the Front was focusing on campaigning, he said the matter would be discussed in detail later. “ At present, our focus is to reach out to maximum people,“ he added.
Ponnurunni-resident Saji's wife Resmi is a BJP state committee member.