Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is on his first visit to Kerala after being declared as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, on Thursday offered prayers at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple here.
Draped in a saffron shawl, Modi reached the temple at 7 a.m. amidst tight security. He was accompanied by BJP leaders, including BJP state president V Muralidharan.
The entry of other devotees to the temple was stopped from 6.30 a.m. citing security reasons. BJP’s prime ministerial candidate offered Thulasi garland to the main deity of Sree Padmanabhaswamy. He also offered a traditional lamp to Sree Narasimha Swamy located on the South of the sanctum sanctorum, which is the second major deity of this temple. He also offered prayers at the Thiruvambadi Sree Krishna temple inside the complex.
The temple administrative officials presented a picture of Sree Padmanabhaswamy to Modi. He spent around half-an-hour in the temple.
Tight security was put in place in and around the temple from 4 a.m. A police team headed by City Police Commissioner P Vijayan, SP Vijayakumar, who is in charge of the security of the temple, and Fort assistant commissioner K Suresh Kumar supervised the security arrangements.
After the temple visit, Modi called on the head of Travancore Royal family Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma.
Receiving him at the Kowdiar Palace, Marthanda Varma presented paintings of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple and some books to Modi.
Marthanda Varma offered him a ‘crown’ and held a short discussion with him. Most of the royal family members, as well as some BJP leaders, were present during the visit.
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