KANNUR: After claiming that he will take his fight into Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's hometown, BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday failed to turn up here to lead the state-wide yatra that he had kicked off two days earlier.
Named "Jana Raksha Yatra", Shah had walked on Tuesday from Payanur in Kannur district with hundreds of Bharatiya Janata Party activists and promised to return on Thursday morning to walk past Vijayan's home at Pinarayi.
The campaign, a show of strength by the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, is meant to highlight alleged violence by CPI-M cadres on BJP and RSS supporters. The state-wide campaign is to end on October 17 in the state capital.
Kummanam Rajasekharan, the BJP state President, explained Shah's absence by saying that he himself could take the fight into Vijayan's camp at Pinarayi and that Shah's presence was not required.
CPI-M state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Shah was scared to walk through Pinarayi.
"BJP leaders had claimed that Shah was a 'lion' and a determined person. But today it is proved that Shah is a lion without any teeth. Also, Shah has realized the yatra has failed to evoke any response," he said.
The earlier plan was that Shah would walk nine kilometres and address a public meeting at Tellichery.
According to the BJP, Shah has been called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The CPI-M, which heads Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front, on Thursday observed a shutdown in Pinarayi town.