Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to give a big push to extend the Sabarimala agitation in Kerala to other southern states including Karnataka.
A massive ‘Hindu Samajotsav’ has been organised in Kasargod, a Kerala district bordering Karnataka, on December 16, which will be addressed by the UP chief minister. The rally is not only seen as the launch pad to spread the Sabarimala agitation to other southern states, but also as a way of setting the tone for the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala and coastal Karnataka region.
It is expected that Adityanath would use the opportunity to launch himself into the Sabarimala fiasco, which the BJP is trying to tap to gain a toehold in Kerala. The party has been at the forefront of the agitation since the Supreme Court on September 28 lifted the ban on the entry of women of childbearing age into the temple to Lord Ayyappan in Sabarimala.
Adityanath’s presence at the Hindu Samajotsav will serve another political purpose too — Kasargod is considered the “gateway” to Kerala because of its location and proximity to coastal Karnataka, where the BJP wields considerable influence.
The BJP has been eyeing the adjacent Kasargod and Manjeshwar Assembly constituencies in the past few elections. Both seats are held by the Indian Union Muslim League, a part of the Opposition United Democratic Front led by the Congress. A bypoll is scheduled to be held in Manjeshwar as its sitting MLA has died.
The BJP leadership in Kasargod played down the Hindu Samajotsav as a “local event” limited to the district.
“This time we are holding the Hindu Samajotsav in Kasargod. This has no hidden agenda,” district BJP chief K. Srikanth told The Telegraph on Friday. Srikanth confirmed Adityanath’s participation in the event.
Asked why the Samajotsav had been scheduled in Kasargod, Srikanth said the district faced “unique” problems that needed attention. “Love jihad is common here. Several young people are joining the Islamic State. So we want to address these issues at the conference,” he said.
Sources said the Sangh parivar was using the border district to spread the Sabarimala agitation to Karnataka and beyond.
A BJP source hinted at the possibility of Adityanath visiting Sabarimala, 500km from Kasargod.
“Nothing has been finalised yet, but it’s on the cards,” said the leader from north Kerala who did not wish to be named.
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