Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reached Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple on Tuesday morning to attend a review meeting ahead of the pilgrimage season.

His cabinet colleague, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and officials of various departments, accompanied the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister had reached Pamba on Monday evening and left for Sannidhanam early morning the next day.

This is the first time that Pinarayi Vijayan, a prominent face of the CPI (M), is visiting the Sabarimala temple. 

The Chief Minister will lay the foundation stone for a new guest house and water tank at Sannidhanam, reports Times of India. 

He will also chair a meeting to review the arrangements being planned by various government departments for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage season. 

The season, which attracts lakhs of devotees from all over the world, will begin on November 16.

The Chief Minister will reach Pamba after the meeting. 

In the evening, he will inaugurate the Nilackal pilgrim centre. He is also expected to check the facilities being set up for the pilgrims at the Nilackal base. 

A year ago, Kerala Wakf Minister KT Jaleel had created history by visiting the temple. He was the first Muslim minister to visit the hill shrine. 

Jaleel had visited the shrine along with Kadakampally Surendran. The ministers’ visit was to review the arrangements for last year's pilgrimage season.

The Chief Minister himself assessing the arrangements has political importance too as the BJP has been constantly trying to project that the Left government is anti-Hindu.