BJP leader seeks two days to decide on case against IUML

Kerala BJP General Secretary K. Surendran on Thursday told a court that he will need two days to decide whether or not to pursue a case against the now dead IUML MLA P.B. Abdul Razak who narrowly defeated him in 2016.

When the matter came up for hearing, the Kerala High Court asked Surendran's counsel whether the Bharatiya Janata Party leader still wished to pursue the case following Razak's death on Saturday.

The counsel sought two days to ponder over the issue, prompting the court to post the matter on October 31 for next hearing.

Surendran told reporters that he needed to consult his party leaders before taking a call on whether to pursue the case or not in the High Court.

"I am confident after watching the proceedings ... that I will be getting a favourable verdict," Surendran said.

Surendran had challenged in the High Court his slender 89-vote loss to Razak in the 2016 Assembly polls in Manjeshwaram.

The BJP leader moved the High Court alleging that bogus votes had been cast in the name of 298 persons who were either believed to be dead or not residing in the Assembly constituency.

During the trial, 170 people claimed they had not voted but their votes were found to be cast. Surendran urged the court to annul the election of Razak and declare him the winner.

In the 140-member Kerala Assembly, the BJP has just one member.

--IANS

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