In a big blow to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its candidate from Mananthavady constituency in Kerala’s Wayanad, Manikandan alias Manikuttan who hails from Paniya tribal community withdrew his candidature hours after the announcement of the candidate list.
31-year-old Manikandan, who is a MBA graduate and is the first among the Paniya community to get the degree, said that the announcement was done without his knowledge.
He even shared a Malayalam translation of a quote of Dr. B. R Ambedkar. The quote read: “I shall not deter from my duty and betray the just and legitimate interests of my people. Even if you hang me on the lamp post in the street.”
He also stressed that he is not a BJP sympathizer and will happily reject the BJP decision on his candidature.
“Though some BJP leaders had contacted me three weeks back over phone to discuss the issue, I had made my stand clear that I am not interested in party politics and was not a BJP supporter, he said.
Manikandan made it clear that he does not wish to contest from any particular political party.
“I’m not interested to contest as a party candidate. I would like to work as per my qualification and look after my family,” he said.
Manikandan who presently a teaching assistant at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University, said that he came to know about his candidature when he was at his house watching news.
