Thiruvananthapuram, April 10 (IANS): The intense poll battle in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency turned legal when on Wednesday, BJP candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar moved the court and had a defamation notice served to his Congress opponent Shashi Tharoor.

Chandrasekhar has accused Tharoor of disseminating false and misleading information regarding bribing key voters and influential figures such as Christian parish priests.

He has expressed "shock" at the allegations made by Shashi Tharoor in a TV interview by a Kerala-based news organisation called '24 News’.

The notice read: “Immediately withdraw all the allegations and aspersions made by you, the notice against our client Rajeev Chandrashekhar, on the aforesaid news channel dated 06.04.2024. Tender an unconditional public apology to our client to his satisfaction through print and electronic media with regard to the said baseless allegations and aspersions made by you and stop indulging in any such activities in the future.”

The legal notice also states that Tharoor has made these statements "with an intent to harm" Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

It emphasises how such defamatory statements have harmed and disrespected the entire Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram and its leaders by accusing them of engaging in cash-for-votes activities, further highlighting the insistence for a public apology within 24 hours.

The legal notice further states: “It is apprehended that you (Shashi Tharoor) have concocted these allegations and circulated them in order to influence the voters in Thiruvananthapuram."