BJP's AN Radhakrishnan back again for Malayattoor pilgrimage after being trolled for failed attempt

Aluva: BJP leader AN Radhakrishnan hit Malayattoor once again on Sunday for a pilgrimage (climbing Kurisumudy). 

The pilgrimage involves a challenging 3km trek to the Malayatoor Church is situated atop the 609 m high Malayatoor Hill, with 14 halts marking the ‘way of the cross’. 

His earlier endeavour on April 7 to climb the Malayattoor failed as he did not even reach the first halt. Trolls had been flooding social media when he gave up his climbing and many termed it as a cheap publicity stunt for wooing the Christian community. Some netizens even referred to the point he halted for resting as 'Radhakrishna Para' (Radhakrishnan Rock). 

The new attempt comes at this juncture.

BJP has been trying to make inroads into the Christian community in Kerala and the party is desperate to make a strong presence. Both the 2019 general elections and 2021 assembly elections were not favourable for the party. It lost its lone MLA in the state in the 2021 assembly elections. From local BJP leaders to chiefs, including Narendra Modi, have been trying to establish a rapport with Christian faith leaders.