Palakkad (Kerala): A controversy erupted on Saturday after images of voters washing and touching the feet of NDA candidate E Sreedharan had surfaced on social media. E Sreedharan has been fielded as the BJP candidate from the Palakkad constituency for the upcoming Kerala Assembly Elections 2021.
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During an election campaign in the Palakkad constituency, age-old people, women and children were seen kneeling before the BJP candidate with garlands and washing his feet.
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Swami Sandeepananda Giri put out a post on Facebook saying why common people have to wash the candidate's feet as a mark of respect. Reacting to the criticism on social media, E Sreedharan responded by saying that it is a part of our ancient cultural values to respect the elderly and that it need not be made into a controversy.
“It is our Indian tradition. What is wrong with it? They were expressing their respect. They were not worshipping (me)," the 88-yr old BJP candidate said.
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The election for the 140-member Kerala assembly will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
On the other hand, the BJP has not yet decided to name Sreedharan as the CM candidate for the Kerala polls. It is known that the Former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan had formally joined the BJP in Malappuram on February 25 in presence of Union Minister RK Singh.
