Amita Shah, BJP’s National President, is stated to have decided to choose a popular Swamiji to lead the party’s campaign in Telangana elections. For a long time now, the party wants to bring in a spiritual leader with social activism to strengthen itself in South India like how it did by taking services of Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh.

Against this background, Swami Paripoornananda of Sri Peetham fame has come as an immediate choice before BJP leadership considering his widespread connections and his active involvement in socio-political discourses in Southern States. The Hindu monk has also become popular in Telangana after his banishment from Hyderabad by KCR government following his exchange of inflammatory statements with film critic and dalit activist Kathi Mahesh.

Kathi Mahesh was also banned from Telangana capital for his statements against Lord Rama and perpetuation of casteism in Hindu society that were considered to have hurt the sentiments of Hindus leading to social tensions. Paripoornananda threatened to take out a rally to Kathi’s home, which raised temperatures in Hyderabad at that time.

Now, Paripoornananda is invited to meet Amit Shah in Delhi for a second time in past two months. There are already rumours and wild speculation that the Swamiji is a strong choice for BJP to go ahead with its plan to polarise voters along religious lines and draw greater support to the BJP in coming days. Amit Shah is expected to announce Paripoornanda soon as CM candidate for Telangana polls.

BJP’s strategy may change campaign direction altogether in December election.