BJP's Kerala unit stages protests against LDF government

The BJP's Kerala unit on Thursday staged statewide protests against the ruling CPI(M) alleging that the state government was trying to tarnish the image of its leaders and their families by registering false cases.

Addressing party workers virtually, BJP state chief K Surendran said only his party could fight against corruption in Kerala and that was the reason behind the cases and attacks against the saffron party as soon as the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led government came to power.

The BJP claimed that the party workers protested at nearly 10,000 locations in the state.

"Vijayan is competing with Mamata Banerjee in toppling democracy in the country.They think they can destroy the BJP by registering false cases," Surendran said.

The BJP, which drew a blank in the April 6 Assembly polls, is facing a host of allegations including using hawala money for the elections to bribe a co-candidate for withdrawing nomination.

Several BJP and RSS leaders have already been questioned in connection with the highway robbery of hawala money at Kodakara in Thrissur district, three days ahead of the elections.

The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in the state have alleged that the BJP had used huge amounts of black money in the assembly polls.

However, Surendran claimed it was the Congress, the CPI(M) and the Muslim League (IUML) which have used black money for election campaigns.

Former Mizoram governor Kummanam Rajashekharan, former MLA O Rajagopal, and others participated in the protest at the secretariat here.

BJP workers burned the effigy of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in front of the state secretariatas part of the protest.