Union Minister Amit Shah visits Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered prayers at the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple here on Sunday.

Shah, who arrived at the state capital on Saturday night for a one-day visit, reached the shrine this morning along with BJP state leaders.

The union minister, draped in a traditional kasavu (silk) shawl, was received at the shrine by the temple management authorities.

Shah's visit to the centuries-old shrine comes at a time when it is gearing up for the Lakshadeepam ritual on January 14. The auspicious ritual is held at the shrine every six years.

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According to the itinerary of the union minister, he will meet the newly elected local body representatives in the state later in the day.

Subsequently, in the afternoon, he will attend a conclave and then hold a meeting with NDA leaders at the BJP state office here in the evening, it said.

Later in the day, Shah is scheduled to attend an NDA leaders' meeting and the BJP State Core Committee meeting at the party's state office, providing organisational and political guidance to leaders ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a post on X today, said, "Privileged to join our karyakartas in welcoming @AmitShah ji to Thiruvananthapuram. 6 months ago, in July 2025, Amit Shah ji launched BJP/NDA's #Mission2025 and Kerala witnessed a political turning point in local body elections. Today, he is here to launch #Mission2026 and guide our karyakartas as we prepare for one of the most consequential Assembly elections in Kerala's history. Election that will decide the future of our state and the opportunities available to generations of Malayalees. PTI