BJP rakes up 'Sabarimala issue', 'love jihad' as key poll planks in Kerala

In the run-up to the Kerala Assembly polls, the BJP has raked up the issue of women's entry to the Sabarimala temple as part of their election strategy. The BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also promises a law against ‘love jihad’ in the State in an attempt to woo voters.

Kasaragod (Kerala): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala has raked up the incidents that followed the Supreme Court's verdict granting entry to women of all ages to Sabarimala temple as a major poll plank for its campaigns for the Assembly elections. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also promises a law against ‘love jihad’ in the State in an attempt to woo voters.

K Surendran, the BJP state president and NDA candidate at two constituencies, including Konni where Sabarimala temple is located, has been training guns on the Communist Party Marxist (CPM) and the Chief Minister.

"(Party and Pinarayi Vijayan) Have been taking a provocative stand on the issue of Sabarimala women entry. When Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran attempted to apologise, Pinarayi Vijayan and Sitaram Yechuri stopped him. Sabarimala might become a protest centre yet again in the given situation," he said.

The BJP state president went on to say that Sabarimala is 'not safe' until the Left Government is in power in the State. "The Government has repeatedly clarified that it will not refrain from the policy of ‘hunting the believers’. Pinarayi Vijayan is becoming the ‘destroyer’ of Sabarimala and he is trying to make Sabarimala a battlefield yet again," alleged Surendran.

He said the CPM leaders including Pinarayi Vijayan must reveal their stands on 'love jihad'. "Though Jose K Mani had reacted on 'love jihad' owing to the stand taken by the Church, the ‘fact’ does not fade out. Pinarayi Vijayan government has completed five years of governance by aligning with ‘anti-national powers’. The Chief Minister holding discussions with a ‘group of fraudsters’ is a grave mistake. Kerala witnessed a horrible daylight robbery," alleged Surendran.

"The EMCC deal revelation brought to light more aspects of the Government’s corruption. The Speaker tainted the decorum of the State assembly. The Government is going ahead with imprudent and senseless actions in order to cover up the conspired, corrupt dealings it had engaged in," Surendran lashed out.

Surendran alleged that there is large scale fraud happening in postal votes in Kerala. "The directions of the Elections Commission are being sabotaged. Booth Level officers have been working as CPM agents. Despite being aware of the problems, the election commission has not been intervening effectively," he alleged.

Calling the election commission a scarecrow, he alleged that it has not taken action to remove the bogus voters from the voters’ lists across the State, although the poll process has started technically.

Clarifying that BJP MP and actor Suresh Gopi’s statement that the CPM candidate A N Shamseer must fail in Thalassery is personal, Surendran said he is not repudiating Suresh Gopi’s statement. Surendran added that the BJP will have a candidate at Thalassery and that discussions are on in this regard.