Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 (BPNS)

In a case of open rebellion, a group of BJP workers closed the Kasargod district committee office of the party following a dispute with the leadership over an alliance of convenience with the CPM in ‘Kumbala’ panchayat of Kasargod district.

The party cadres and workers came in procession towards the office and closed it with a chain and lock.

Party local leaders and cadres demand state president of the party K. Surendran to reach the venue and to settle the issue. It may be noted that the saffron party is very strong in Kasargod and in Manjeswara and Kasargod assembly segments, BJP candidates always reach second.

K. Surendran has been contesting from the Manjeswar seat and in the 2016 assembly elections, he lost by 89 votes to P.B. Abdul Razak of the Indian Union Muslim League. However, he could not repeat that feat in the 2021 assembly elections where he lost to AKM Ashraf of the Muslim League by 745 votes.

The controversy that has erupted in Kasargod is a shocker to the BJP leadership as this has taken place in the party’s stronghold of Kasargod where the BJP has always been a force to reckon with.

BJP local leader M. Praveen while speaking to BPNS said, “ We are fighting a war with the CPM in Kerala and the alliance with that party in Kumbala was totally uncalled for. We will not budge till the state president intervenes and settle the matter.”

However BJP state president K. Surendran has returned back from Kannur and has not reached Kasargod as was expected.

BJP state president K. Surendran while speaking to BPNS said, “ I have to study the issue and have to speak to the local leadership on the matter. I cannot comment unless I get proper information on the same.”