Thiruvananthapuram: BJP national president Amit Shah has urged the state BJP leadership to seek the support of dalits and other marginalised sections to improve the prospects of the NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing the NDA steering committee meeting held here to evaluate the performance in the Assembly elections, he said a 'Vision 2019' would be formed to capture as many Lok Sabha seats as possible.
Mr Amit Shah expressed happiness over the NDA bagging 15 percent vote share in the Assembly polls and getting its first legislator in Kerala. He also urged his party colleagues to work out an action plan to attract the minority communities to the BJP. “The minorities, dalits and other marginalised sections of society must be brought to the NDA for the next LS elections,” he said.
The NDA will be strengthened by forming committees till the booth level within the next three months. The meeting was attended by Bharat Dharma Jana Sena state president Tushar Vellapally, Kerala Congress leader P.C. Thomas, JSS faction’s A. N. Rajan Babu and Janathipathya Rashtreeya Sabha’s C. K. Janu.
National BJP orgnising general secretary Ramlal, joint organising general secretary B. L. Santhosh, national general secretary H. Raja and Nalin Kumar Katil MP also were present. Later, Mr Shah addressed a meeting of the newly-constituted state committee and urged them to concentrate on the Lok Sabha elections. He said a special package will be announced to protect the families affected by the CPM violence by providing them legal and medical support.
Mutt mum on politics, talks development
BJP national president Amit Shah visited Sivagiri Mutt for the first time on Thursday and held talks with mutt general secretary Swami Rithambarananda and other sanyasis. Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president Tushar Vellapally accompanied the BJP leader making a breakthrough as SNDP Yogam leaders have never been invited for any programmes there since the infamous 1995 police action.
Mr Vellapally is also the president of SNDP Yogam Youth Movement and the son of Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan. BJP sources said Mr Shah sought the support of the Mutt and explained how the BDJS helped the NDA to garner 15 per cent vote share in the Assembly elections. But the Mutt denied talking politics.
BJP national president Amit Shah returns after offering prayers before the Maha Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt on Thursday. Also seen are Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham general secretary Swami Rithambarananda, Swami Guru Prasad, Swami Sharadananda Saraswathi and Swami Sookshmananda.
“We did not discuss politics," said Swami Rithambarananda. "He has agreed to grant a medical college in the name of Guru and other pending schemes.” It is understood that the Mutt has proposed setting up a central university in the name of Guru, a research centre, International Sree Narayana Guru Museum, international yoga, siddha and ayurveda centre with an old age home and orphanage, Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) project, Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) and a swadeshi darshan tourist programme to propagate the principles of Guru.
