Resolve Sabari row in 24 hrs: PS Sreedharan Pillai

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP state president P. S. Sreedharan Pillai threatens to intensify the agitation if the government does not resolve Sabarimala row in 24 hours.

Addressing thousands of people rallied on the concluding day of the NDA's long march before the Secretariat here on Monday, he said the nonviolent fight was to support the cause of the Sabarimala devotees.

He warned that the mass protest would lead to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the atheists getting washed away.

"CPM has been forced to reply to the demands of the Sabarimala devotees. Lakhs of devotees hit the streets in Pathanamthitta to express their views against the Supreme Court verdict," he said.

Mr Pillai reiterated that the party was with the devotees to protect the ideals and traditions that followed in Sabarimala. He said 5.4 crore pilgrims arrive in Sabarimala every year while it's 23 lakh in Mecca, 46 lakh in Rome and 66 lakh at Tirupati temple.

"CPM has been trying to wreck Sabarimala since the last five decades. We will not tolerate it," he said. "None of us has tried to gain political mileage."

However, many think the long march has given adequate political mileage for BJP and himself ever since he took over the mantle from Kummanam Rajasekharan, the Mizoram governor.

Though a section of the BJP and RSS supporters have been clamouring for the return of Mr Rajasekharan, Mr Pillai can heave a sigh of relief.

Sources close to him said that the resurgence had given him new vigour and he will be appraising the national BJP leadership about the success of the long march.

He is preparing for the second leg of protests from Pathanamthitta on Wednesday evening when the Sabarimala temple opens for Thulam month pooja.