Kerala: Eye on LS polls, BJP to relaunch ‘sneha yatra’ for Christian outreach

Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 5 (PTI) Seeking to reach out to minority communities ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP unit in Kerala on Tuesday decided to resume its 'sneha yatra' — an outreach programme aimed to connect with the state's Christians.

The party initially launched the initiative during this year's Easter.

In a meeting of the saffron party's state committee, it was decided to carry out the yatras during the Christmas season.

MT Ramesh, the general secretary of the BJP's Kerala unit, told reporters after the meeting that the political possibilities for the NDA have increased in the state.

The BJP-led NDA will be expanded by including like-minded people and parties ahead of the polls, he said.

"Party leaders and workers will visit Christian homes between December 20 and 30. The objective of the sneha yatra is to bring the Christian community closer to the party," Ramesh said.

The party has also decided to carry out 'padayatras (foot marches)' across the state with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls, he added.

Prominent BJP leaders and workers had conducted the sneha yatra, visiting Christian homes and religious heads on the occasion of Easter earlier this year. PTI