In an effort to sort out the issues between Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) general secretary Vellapally Natesan and the sanyasis of Sivagiri Mutt, BJP national president Amit Shah visited the Mutt, along with BDJS president Thushar Vellappally.
Media reports also say that Shah’s visit on Thursday was intended to bring all sections of the Ezhava community together into the Kerala NDA looking at the Lok Sabha polls. This is the second time Shah visited the mutt.
Relations between the SNDP leadership and sanyasis at the mutt have not been cordial for some time.
The Times of India reports that the joint visit by Shah and Vellappally to the mutt is seen as a political message to the dissatisfied sections in the community who are not following the diktat of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.
“Amit Shahji was well received by sanyasis in the mutt. We spent an hour there. It is all false news that the mutt and SNDP leadership are at loggerheads,” Tushar Vellapally told media.
However, the chief of the mutt Swami Rithambarananda told media that no political matters had been discussed in the meeting.
“We have not discussed any political affairs, he has promised to allow some grants for the mutt. He offered Rs 1000 crore project called Sivagiri package. In that, Rs 500 crore was offered for international Sree Narayana museum,” the swami said.