From ‘Rock’ At The Back To Rockstar In The Front? Amit Shah Likely To Visit Sabarimala During Mandala Season

Amidst the crisis the BJP national President Amit Shah may visit Sabarimala during the upcoming Mandalakalam pilgrimage season to offer prayers at the Ayyappa Temple, reports Malayala Manorama.

He assured complete support for the state leadership's call for launching protests against the 28 September verdict. The state has been in turmoil since. Kerala Communist government has arrested over 2000 Sabarimala protesters.

Reports suggest the leaders of the Kerala cell of BJP had requested Shah to take part in the party’s 'Rath Yatra' (8-13 November) in Pathanamthitta, he then declared his intention to make a visit and offer prayers at the hill shrine. The Yatra will conclude with a women’s rally.

He also reportedly is trying to conduct the protests under a broad banner. Tushar Vellappaly, head of the NDA ally Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) along with BJP state chief PS Sreedharan Pillai took part in the meeting with Shah. Both would also lead the Rath-Yatra.

The BJP is fielding Thushar to counter his father Vellappally Natesan, chief of the Sreenarayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, who rejected Shah's plea to bring SNDP into the protests.

Interestingly former police chief of Kerala TP Senkumar has also called Amit Shah, but no reports have confirmed former's entry to BJP.