Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the propaganda that leaders had removed him from the party office was a figment of some people's imagination and that he was still living in the party office, he said in an interview.

Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the propaganda that leaders had removed him from the party office was a figment of some people's imagination and that he was still living in the party office, he said in an interview.

Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the propaganda that leaders had removed him from the party office was a figment of some people's imagination and that he was still living in the party office, he said in an interview.

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior BJP leader and former governor of Mizoram Kummanam Rajasekharan has alleged that the "CPM-police-mafia alliance" had conspired to arrest him on the day M Sivasankar, the former principal secretary to the chief minister, was arrested.

A case was registered against him over something about which he had no clue, Kummanam told Manorama Online.

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He said he is happy to have been elected as a member of the governing body of Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple. Even if he had been made a temple cleaner, he would have accepted the job, he said.

Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the propaganda that leaders had removed him from the party office was a figment of some people's imagination and that he was still living in the party office, he said in an interview. Edited excerpts:

How do you see the chances of the BJP in the local body elections?

The atmosphere for the local body elections is favourable for the NDA. It is the Modi government that has brought the decentralisation of power into effect. The benefits of government schemes are now reaching the common people.

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Local bodies have received more project funds. The central government has sanctioned schemes for housing, employment, medical treatment and infrastructure development.

So there will be a huge, people's movement in favour of the BJP. The people are aware that the alternating LDF-UDF governments have failed them. Both these fronts are not implementing the central plans effectively. The people, realising all this, will mobilise in support of the Modi government.

What will be the campaign issues of the party?

The aim of the party is to empower people and to make the benefits of the various schemes available to them directly without intermediaries. Besides highlighting the delivery of central schemes, we will also expose the failures and corruption of the state government. The LDF regime is tainted.

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There was corruption even in projects meant for the common people. Schemes were allotted to its own people on the basis of commission paid. Not even 40% of the total project cost reaches the people. Intermediaries and political leaders share the rest by taking commission and bribes. It is the same situation even under a UDF government.

The LDF is responsible for development stagnating in Kerala. The BJP will give priority to ensuring that money allotted for projects ends up benefiting the people without intermediaries.

Assembly elections will be held after the local body elections. How do you see the party's possibilities in those polls?

The BJP will have more seats in the Assembly than in the current term. The local body elections will be a precursor to the Assembly polls. The party will win big. It will emerge as a decisive force.

Will you contest in the Assembly elections?

The party will tell me whether I should contest or not and I only obey as the party says. In any case, let the party's decision come first. I can make a decision then.

There is criticism that the appointment of a former governor to a temple committee is degrading.

That is the mentality of those who underrate a temple's governing body. That's how their mental state is. The appointment to the Padmanabhaswamy temple board is a big responsibility. The Padmanabhaswamy temple is a big temple in the world. As far as I am concerned, any responsibility associated with it is a big task. I would be happy to even be a sweeper in the temple.

It is just imagination to say that I have been given a post in the temple to sideline me in the party. Just because you have been given a post before, can you say no to another or demand something else?

It is said that you have been ousted from the party office.

That is just unnecessary talk. I'm still in the party office. I have no other home to go to. Earlier, I used to stay in the RSS office. I do not stay in a lodge. I stay in the party office wherever I goes. Those who spreading such talks can say anything.

What is behind the financial fraud case?

That is something I have no clue about. The CPM-police-mafia alliance made me an accused in the case. Some monopoly business mafia is against me for protesting against the Aranmula Airport. Central agencies have repeatedly summoned Minister KT Jaleel for questioning. But even though I am named as the fourth accused in the case against me, the police have not done any investigation even over phone.

Their plan was to arrest me on the day M Sivasankar was arrested. That's how the Kerala police act. They can deliberately frame a case. It will not happen in other states.

Will BJP leaders' public resentments backfire in the local body elections?

It is up to the state president to comment on leaders' reactions. He has already made his stance known. That is the opinion of the party. Such public resentments should be avoided.