The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is gearing up for a grand celebration of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, and part of the festivities will take place in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, currently represented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Prominent BJP leader and former Union Minister, Prakash Javadekar, is set to join other NDA leaders at the Lord Ram Temple in Wayanad to witness the live telecast of the Ayodhya ceremony on January 22. The event will be held at the Ponkuzhi Sree Rama Temple in Wayanad, and attendees will include local BJP leaders and NDA state convenor Thushar Vellappally.
Thushar Vellappally, the son of Eazhava community leader and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, was the NDA candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 elections when Rahul Gandhi contested.
Vellappally is also the leader of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of the BJP in Kerala. The BJP is underlining the significance of holding the event at the Kerala temple, situated on the Sulthan Bathery-Mysore Road, emphasizing its close connection to the Ramayana.
The decision to organize the event in Rahul Gandhi's constituency is seen as a strategic move, intended to convey a nationwide message, particularly to the Congress party and its leadership. Sources suggest that the Congress, which declined an invitation to the temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, may receive this event as a symbolic gesture.
The Ponkuzhi Sree Rama Temple, located in a serene area near the Ponkuzhi River and around 4 km from the Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, is dedicated to the worship of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lord Lakshman, and Lord Hanuman. The grand celebration aims to mark the historic occasion of the Ram Temple consecration while making a statement in the political landscape, especially in the context of Wayanad being Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency.
(With Agency Inputs)
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