K Surendran is the chief of the BJP in Kerala.
An FIR (first information report) has been filed against the BJP's Kerala chief - the second in less that 10 days - on the allegation that he had given money to a tribal leader to return to the BJP-led alliance as a candidate for the assembly election held in April.
The case against K Surendran was registered on Thursday following a local court's order after a complaint by a leader of Muslim Students Federation leader, PK Navas. The complaint was filed on the basis of alleged audio clips.
The treasurer of the BJP's own local alliance partner, Janathipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP), had earlier alleged that Mr Surendran paid Rs. 10 lakh to tribal leader CK Janu to return to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) as a candidate for the assembly polls. Ms Janu and Ms Surendran have denied the allegation.
"It's a false allegation, only to defame and accuse K Surendran, the state president of the BJP... To tarnish his image. This is a conspiracy between the CPM, the Congress and the Muslim League," BJP leader and former Mizoran Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan said.
The first FIR against Mr Surendran was filed for allegedly bribing a rival candidate into withdrawing his election nomination.
K Sundara - who filed papers as a candidate from Mayawati's BSP - alleged he was given Rs. 2.5 lakh by the BJP to withdraw from the race for the Manjeswaram constituency.
Kerala's CPM-led ruling front and the opposition Congress-led UDF have lashed out at the BJP-led Centre over the row over the state BJP chief.
"The BJP is ruling at the Centre and must uphold democratic traditions. Unfortunately, they haven't. They have been caught in daylight before the people of Kerala," CPM state secretary A Vijayaraghavan said.
"The question is why is PM Modi is not asking K Surendran to step down. Mr Modi, in 2014, had said na khaoonga, na khane doonga (wouldn't take bribe, wouldn't let others take bribe). But here, they show no accountability," Congress spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed said.
The FIRs were filed a time when the BJP leader and his party are facing several allegations, including one by Janathipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP) and another over Rs. 3.5 crore in hawala money "stolen" from a car three days before voting.
The BJP lost the Kerala election, with the ruling Left winning 99 of 140 seats to claim a historic second consecutive term.