BJP Kerala chief dials down threat to prevent CMs Stalin and Pinarayi from attending Ayyappa Sanghamam at Sabarimala

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday (August 28, 2025) appeared to dial down his threat to muster “party workers and Hindus in strength” to prevent Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his Kerala counterpart, Pinarayi Vijayan, from “setting foot” at Sabarimala to attend the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB)-sponsored Global Ayyappa Sanghamam at Pampa on September 10, unless the two leaders publicly apologised for “disparaging” the Hindu faith.

Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr Chandrasekharan said threats, intimidation and violence were part of the CPI(M) toolkit, not the BJP’s.

“Let them (TDB) hold the Sanghamam. We have no issues. Nevertheless, it remains a fact that the conference has more to do with politics than the welfare of lakhs of Ayyappa devotees arriving at the shrine annually”, he said. 

Mr. Chandrasekharan said he had “merely requested” the government not to politicise the Sanghamam by inviting India Bloc leaders, chiefly Mr. Stalin, given the DMK’s history of “recurrently belittling” the Hindu faith, including terming the religion a “virus”. Mr. Stalin has delegated two ministers to represent him at the conference.

He accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of using the conference as a platform to woo Hindu votes ahead of the local body polls and the 2026 Assembly elections, following its attempt to court the support of minority communities had fallen flat.

‘Contradiction’

He said there was a contradiction in Mr. Vijayan, an atheist and communist leader, helming a religious conference. “Would a Muslim social organisation invite a non-believer to preside over a religious conference?” Mr. Chandrasekharan asked. 

Mr Chandrasekharan’s dare to Mr Stalin and Mr Vijayan on social media last week provoked an acerbic reply from the Kerala Chief Minister on Wednesday. 

Mr. Vijayan counselled Mr Chandrasekharan to “pocket” the latter’s “trivial threats” and strive to understand Kerala’s secular and progressive socio-political legacy. He also said that the BJP leaders’ sabre-rattling would not intimidate Kerala, and the Sanghamam would proceed as planned.

Mr. Chandrasekhar had ruffled feathers in the CPI(M) in Kerala by suggesting that Mr. Vijayan supplicate himself penitently in front of the deity in Sabarimala and seek forgiveness for “unleashing the police” on Ayyappa devotees who opposed the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s bid to subvert temple traditions by using a 2018 Supreme Court order (allowing women of all ages to worship at the temple) as a political cover. 

Mr. Vijayan had also rejected Mr Chandrasekharan’s demand to withdraw cases against those who participated in the communally schismatic and religiously charged “Save Sabarimala Campaign” that rocked the LDF government in Kerala in 2018.

Mr. Vijayan promised to withdraw cases concerning minor infractions, with the rider that the law would take its own course in grave offences.

The State police had registered scores of cases relating to attacks on police, destruction of public property, ambushing of Ayyappa devotees, assaulting women, outraging their modesty, creating enmity between different groups of people, unlawful assembly, rioting, and other cognisable offences during the month-long socially tumultuous agitation. Law enforcement has submitted charge sheets in the majority of cases, and the accused are awaiting trial.