The Kerala unit of the BJP on Thursday made it clear that one of its Lok Sabha election campaigns will be the Sabarimala issue.
State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said in a statement that if the Central government has the powers to bring out new laws to protect the sanctity of Sabarimala temple, then the BJP will do its best to see that it happens.
“What happened in Sabarimala and to those who tried to protect the culture and traditions of the temple… democratic means will be used for the campaign by our cadres,” said Pillai.
Ever since the September 28 apex court verdict came opening the temple to women in all age groups, there have been many street protests.
Pillai said the apex court had ruled the opening of the temple based on the laws passed by the Kerala government.
“Since this is a state subject, the Centre cannot intervene. But if there is any way that the Centre can intervene, we assure the believers that we will go to any extent to see that the temple traditions and customs are protected,” added Pillai.
The BJP has fielded K. Surendran at the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat, where the temple town is situated.
The Congress is betting on Anto Antony, who is aiming for a hat trick of wins from the constituency, while the CPI-M sprang a surprise by fielding first time legislator Veena George, whose Aranmula seat now falls in the Lok Sabha constituency.
In 2014, in Pathanamthitta, Kerala BJP General Secretary M.T. Ramesh got over 1.38 lakh votes, up from over 56,000 which his party candidate won in 2009.
