Surendran Eyes Manjeshwar Breakthrough After Near Misses, Faces Tough Battle

• BJP's K Surendran, a heavyweight candidate with 242 criminal cases, seeks a win in Manjeshwar after narrowly losing in 2016 and 2021.
• Most cases against Surendran stem from his leadership in Sabarimala protests against women's entry in 2018.
• Surendran expresses confidence, citing resentment against the state government and current MLA, and claims BJP will decide Kerala's fate.
• Rival AKM Ashraf (UDF) dismisses Surendran's chances, highlighting UDF's strong local body election performance and development in Manjeshwar.
• LDF candidate KR Jayananda criticizes Surendran as a 'migratory bird' and reminds voters of hardships during COVID-19 border closures by the BJP government.