Media reports have claimed that Swami Paripoornananda, head of the Kakinada Sri Peetham will lead BJP’s campaign in the upcoming Telangana polls. In what is being seen as an attempt to create a parallel of Yogi Adityanath’s political success in the south, many reports have emerged claiming that BJP may soon announce Swami Paripoornananda formally joining the party.

BJP president Amit Shah reportedly met the spiritual leader in New Delhi on Monday. As per reports, Paripoornananda also met BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and UP CM Yogi Adityanath to discuss ‘future plans’. A report in The New Indian Express has claimed that there are rumours within the party that Paripoornananda will be announced as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in Telangana for the upcoming assembly elections.

“We held detailed deliberations on dharma and values of the country. We also discussed future plans. All decisions are to be made by Amit Shah, I will do whatever he wants me to do. The guidelines too would be announced by Amit Shah. I have no personal interests.” Paripoornananda was quoted as saying after meeting Shah.

The state of Telangana is in a limbo, after its chief minister Chandrashekhar Rao, 8 months before his term ends, called for early elections. There were reports of BJP aligning with Chandrasekhar’s TRS, but Amit Shah had made it clear in September that BJP will go alone in elections. As per recent announcements by the election commission of India, Telangana will hold assembly elections on December 7, along with Rajasthan.

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Reports citing internal sources within BJP also claim that Paripoornananda might be pitched against AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, who is the incumbent MP from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat.

Swami Paripoornananda has a great appeal in the Hindu population of Telangana and also enjoys support from organizations like VHP and Bajrang Dal. His inclusion in the party is expected to be beneficial in creating BJP’s political hold in the southern state.

In July, Swami Paripoornananda was barred from entering Hyderabad, for alleged ‘incendiary comments.’ The order was suspended in August by the High court later. In September, Swami Paripoornananda was welcomed by thousands of his supporters in a huge public rally along the Vijayawada-Hyderabad national highway. Addressing the people, he had said that the KC Rao government of Telangana is anti-Hindu and even if they had managed to extern him for 55 days, he will be there for another 55 years. Several BJP leaders were also present with him. BJP MLA NVSS Prabhakar has stated at that time that he has already told in the floor of the assembly that Telangana needs a leader like Yogi Adityanath and only time will decide when he comes into politics.

It is being speculated in media that as Paripoornananda will be in his Ashram in Kakinada for Navaratri celebrations, his formal inclusion and announcement of CM candidature will be done after Navaratri.