In a powerful address at the Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam on Monday, September 22, 2025, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai unleashed a fierce critique against both Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
During his opening remarks, Annamalai sharply accused both political figures of exploiting sacred temple gatherings while simultaneously exhibiting opposition to Sanatana Dharma. He specifically condemned the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s ‘Global Ayyappa Sangamam’ and the DMK government’s ‘Global Muruga Conference.’ Annamalai highlighted, ‘It was Mr. Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi who advocated for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma, and it was Pinarayi Vijayan who then extended an invitation to Stalin. The Muruga conference took place in Madurai, and Pinarayi simply mirrored that event here in Kerala.’
Directing a pointed jab at Chief Minister Vijayan, Annamalai commented with irony, ‘Those who profess to believe in no divine power are now offering lessons on the Bhagavad Gita. If you’re going to cite Chapter 12, perhaps you should also familiarize yourselves with the chapters that follow.’
Citing the ancient sage Tiruvalluvar, Annamalai asserted that betraying one’s populace and manipulating legal frameworks constitutes a far more heinous act than murder itself. He then linked this directly to Vijayan, stating, ‘That is precisely what Pinarayi Vijayan orchestrated in Pandalam during 2018–19. By wielding his authority, he inflicted immense suffering upon millions of Ayyappa devotees. A leader should not behave in such a way, yet he presumes to instruct us with Bhagavad Gita lessons.’
The assembly was well-attended, featuring prominent figures such as BJP leader and MP Tejasvi Surya, BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, veteran party leader Kummanam Rajasekharan, and representatives from numerous Hindu organizations. A significant crowd gathered, filling the air with enthusiastic chants glorifying Lord Ayyappa, the revered deity of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. P.N. Narayana Varma, former secretary of the Pandalam Palace Trust, played a crucial role in organizing the event.
This congregation, supported by various Sangh Parivar-aligned organizations, was designed as a counterpoint to the Travancore Devaswom Board’s ‘Global Ayyappa Sangamam,’ which had taken place at Pampa on September 20.
It’s worth noting that Pandalam, a municipality within Pathanamthitta, is one of only two civic bodies in Kerala currently under BJP governance. The party’s victory in Pandalam during the 2020 local elections was largely attributed to the momentum generated by the 2018 Sabarimala protests. However, the question remains whether the Sangh Parivar’s current mobilization efforts will garner similar support and impact today.