Protests over Sabarimala gold-plating row signal start of election campaign in Pathanamthitta

PATHANAMTHITTA: A political storm has begun to sweep Pathanamthitta as protests by the youth wings of opposition parties over the Sabarimala gold-plating controversy have set the tone for the upcoming local body election campaign in the district. Violent demonstrations by the Youth Congress and the BJP's Yuva Morcha this week have reignited the Sabarimala issue, placing the ruling LDF on the defensive. For months, political observers had anticipated that Sabarimala, a religiously sensitive topic in the state, might return to the political spotlight. However, the recent protests over allegations of irregularities ties in the gold covering of idols in the revered shrine escalated faster than expected. Despite the LDF government's efforts to control the narrative through the Global Ayyappa Sangamam , the issue now appears to be shifting in favour of the opposition. Parallel campaigns by Hindutva groups under the Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangham, backed by Sangh Parivar outfits, have further intensified religious and political polarisation in the district. On Thursday, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal inaugurated the Viswasa Sangamam protest rally, an event the Congress is treating as the start of its election campaign, and signalled plans for wider demonstrations. He announced a group prayer of devotees, including participants from neighbouring southern states, and lashed out at the state government. If you are making it difficult for gods and devotees, this is our war preparations, which begin here. Lakhs of people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will join hands with us, he said. 'I was given brass platings': Unnikrishnan Potti refutes allegations over gold-missing row in Sabarimala This was folthe lowed by Youth Congress' protest march to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) office in Pathanamthitta alleging corruption in the Sabarimala temple gold-plating process. The march turned violent as protesters hurled coconuts at the building, shattering window panes, and clashed with police personnel. Opposition leader V D Satheesan has repeatedly visited Pathanamthitta in recent weeks and even trekked to Sabarimala once. Speaking to the media on Thursday, Satheesan accused the state government of suppressing dissent similar to the Centre and reiterated the demand for a thorough investigation into the alleged gold scandal. A strong protest will erupt across Kerala starting from Pathanamthitta, said Satheesan. The Congress has already completed the formation of ward-level committees following delimitation and is moving ahead with candidate selection for the local body elections. It also aims to avoid last-minute seat-sharing disputes that hurt the UDF's performance in the last polls. The UDF is on a comeback trail in Pathanamthitta. We reclaimed 8 of the 11 seats where by-elections were held in the past five years, said Satish Kochuparambil, president of the District Congress Committee. BJP senses opportunity The BJP is intensifying its campaign, hoping to leverage the Sabarimala issue to consolidate Hindu votes. The party has completed ward-level meetings and is currently conducting a door-to-door outreach drive until September 10. A series of senior leaders, including BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, are expected to visit the district in the coming days. BJP national executive member P K Krishnadas said the party is poised to make significant gains. Change will happen in Kerala. The BJP will make its presence felt in the local body elections and beyond, he said. Our target is to capture 25 panchayats, in addition to Tiruvalla municipality. The Sabarimala issue has clearly put the LDF on the back foot, said a senior leader. The NDA currently governs one municipality and three panchayats in the district. Meanwhile, the CPM-led LDF is facing renewed pressure as the Sabarimala issue threatens to reopen old wounds from the 2018 temple entry controversy, which had triggered widespread protests. However, LDF leaders maintain that the government will retain its political footing. Of Pathanamthitta's 53 panchayats, the LDF currently rules 35, and of the four municipalities, it holds Pathanamthitta and Adoor. With political temperatures rising and religious sentiments taking centre stage, Pathanamthitta has once again become a battleground ahead of the local body elections. The tug-of-war over Sabarimala is expected to dominate the campaign in the coming weeks.