BJP candidate in Kerala refuses to contest elections

In an embarrassment to the BJP, an engineer from the tribal community in Kerala announced by the BJP as a candidate for Mananthavady in Wayanad for the Kerala Assembly polls has declined the offer.

C Manikandan alias Manikuttan, hailing from Mananthavady said in a social media post that though the BJP national leadership considered him as a candidate for the Manathavady constituency, he was declining the offer with due thanks for considering him.

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It was with much stress that the BJP national leadership announced on Sunday that Manikuttan, who is the first engineer from the tribal community, will be BJP's candidates at Mananthavady, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribe community members.

Manikuttan, who is now working as a teaching assistant at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, told a section of media that even as some BJP leaders had contacted him a couple of weeks back enquiring about his desire to contest in the polls, he clarified that he was not interested in party politics.

Manikuttan hails from the Paniya tribe community.