Kasargod, Tuesday, March 08, 2011: BJP State President V Muraleedharan has said that he was unaware of the sari distribution by BJP candidate Udayabhaskar in Palakkad. He was speaking to the mediapersons in Kasargod.

Muraleedharan said that such controversies are baseless. He said that sari distribution was done by some social institutions.

He also added that the BJP would announce candidates’ list for 50 seats on March 10.

The free distribution of saris at a function attended by Udayabhaskar, a probable BJP candidate in the Palakkad Assembly Constituency and a national council member of the BJP, has kicked up a controversy as the election code of conduct is in place.

Palakkad District Collector K V Mohan Kumar, who is also the District Electoral Officer, has directed Revenue Divisional Officer Manikandan, who is the returning officer of the Palakkad Assembly constituency, to inquire into the issue and give a report.

The function at Kodunthirapully on Saturday was organised under the joint auspices of ‘Spark’, a voluntary organization, and the SNDP youth movement. At the function, around 800 saris were reportedly distributed free by Udayabhaskar.

Udayabhaskar, an industrialist based in Nagpur, hails from Allanalloor near Mannarkad in Palakkad. He had unsuccessfully contested the Parliament elections twice as a BJP candidate from Palakkad.