The BSP candidate K. Sundara, who became one of the reasons for the defeat of BJP president K. Surendran in the 2016 Assembly election in Manjeswaram, withdrew his nomination on Monday and declared his support to the BJP.
Mr. Sundara, who stood as an independent candidate in 2016, received 467 votes in the election in Manjeshwar. This spoiled an opportunity for Mr. Surendran to win the seat. He lost the election to Indian Union Muslim League candidate P.B. Abdul Razak by 89 votes.
However, Mr. Sundara, who filed the nomination as the BSP candidate this time, had gone missing on Saturday night. BSP leaders had lodged a missing complaint at the Badiyadukka police station.
The leaders claimed that they could not contact Mr. Sundara on the phone after 4 p.m. on Saturday and alleged that their candidate had been abducted by the BJP.
However, by evening, they had to withdraw their complaint after the BJP released a statement stating that Mr. Sundara had decided to support the party candidate and withdraw his nomination.
