BJP president Amit Shah offered prayers at the famous Rajarajeswara Temple in Kannur on Tuesday morning hours before kicking off a rally against alleged Left front violence in a district that has seen scores of political deaths.
Shah’s yatra in Payyannur in the district is aimed at increasing the BJP’s footprint in a state it has never been a strong force in, let alone being in power.
The BJP president arrived at Mangalore airport early this morning and reached the temple by road from Bakel, an official in the party’s state media department said. He was accompanied by state BJP leaders.
The 15-day march is against alleged ‘red terrorism’ unleashed by the Left against BJP and Sangh parivar workers, saffron party leaders said. The Jan Raksha Yatra (people’s protection march) from
Payyannur will travel through the state before culminating in Thiruvananthapuram on October 17. Several Union ministers will also participate in the march under the theme of “All have to live!! Against Jihadi-Red Terror.”
As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief minister’s home town since he took over the reins last year, the BJP has alleged.
{{/usCountry}}As many as 120 BJP workers, 84 in Kannur alone, have been killed in the state since 2001 with 14 of them in the chief minister’s home town since he took over the reins last year, the BJP has alleged.
{{/usCountry}}The CPI(M) has, in turn, accused the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of resorting to violence and denied the involvement of its government and leadership in political killings.