Sabarimala turns battleground again: Gold case, crowd chaos fuel election campaign

Sabarimala has once again emerged as one of the most politically charged issues ahead of the Kerala local self-government elections. What began as a routine stage of the investigation into alleged gold theft has now spiralled into a multi-layered confrontation between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition fronts, each seeking to shape public opinion during the pilgrimage season.

The LDF finds itself on the back foot after the arrests of senior CPI(M) leaders A Padmakumar and N Vasu in the Sabarimala gold case. Both have held the critical posts of Travancore Devaswom Board at different times and were responsible for overseeing key works related to temple infrastructure and rituals. Their arrests have given the opposition a political tool to attack the Left, especially at a time when lakhs of Ayyappa devotees are streaming into the hill shrine.

Attacks sharpen ahead elections

The situation worsened for the ruling front when former Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran’s name surfaced in political discussions around the case. The Opposition argues that he cannot claim distance from a scandal that involves senior officials and board members who reported to the government during his tenure. Though there is no official confirmation of investigative scrutiny on him, his name entering the political conversation has given the opposition further material to amplify the narrative of impropriety.

Also Read: Sabarimala: 2 lakh pilgrims in 48 hours; temple struggles to manage crowd

However, the SIT's remand report on Padmakumar, submitted to the court, alleges that he facilitated Unnikrishnan Potty in removing the golden door frames by manipulating official records.

Both the UDF and the BJP have seized the moment with unusual aggression. Leaders from both fronts have been openly calling CPI(M) members involved in the case 'Ayyappa’s gold thieves' during public meetings and media interactions. Their language has grown sharper recently, signalling that Sabarimala has moved to the centre of their election strategy. The BJP in particular sees the case as an opportunity to claim that the Left has betrayed the trust of temple-going Hindu voters. The Congress, while equally echoing the same line, adds that the scandal is evidence of wider administrative failure and attempts a more institutional critique of Devaswom governance under the LDF.

'Why is CM silent?'

Also Read: Sabarimala gold: SIT conducts scientific tests at hill shrine

He added that it was not any central agency but the Kerala Police that conducted the investigation, and that the court had expressed satisfaction with the investigation. “An arrest does not prove guilt. If he is found guilty, we will take appropriate action,” Govindan said.

Sabarimala in constant debate

The Sabarimala issue had already been simmering due to crowd management lapses on the opening day of the Mandala season. Over a lakh pilgrims reached the shrine on day one, and for a few hours, the situation nearly went out of control. Intervention by police and Devaswom officials eventually stabilised the flow, but visuals of jammed pathways and chaotic queues circulated widely. Although the situation improved by the third day, the first day’s mismanagement allowed the opposition to accuse the government of failing in its basic duties during peak pilgrimage season.

This combination of allegations has created an atmosphere where every development around Sabarimala is being interpreted politically. The ruling front had relied on a carefully built narrative of administrative competence ahead of the LSG elections. The Sabarimala controversy has disrupted that storyline at a particularly inconvenient time.

Also Read: Kerala: UDF, BJP seize on Vasu arrest to corner LDF in high-stakes local body poll battle

The claim is that the BJP and its affiliate organisations see Sabarimala as a symbolic issue capable of consolidating Hindu voters, especially when the LDF is facing isolated dissenting voices within sections of the community.

A political polarisation centre

The political atmosphere is thus being shaped by parallel storylines. On one side are the arrests and the Opposition’s relentless political attack. On the other is the LDF’s insistence that the law should take its course without politicisation. There is also a broader undercurrent involving the place of Sabarimala in Kerala’s political imagination. For years, the shrine has served as a symbolic axis where faith, identity, gender debates, and electoral strategy intersect. The current controversy fits within that larger pattern. The timing of the LSG elections magnifies the stakes.

The LDF faces the dual challenge of protecting its organisational credibility and managing the fallout during the sensitive religious season. Any perception of disrespect towards believers could lead to an erosion of support among traditional Hindu voters, a group the Left has been courting more carefully in recent years. At the same time, the opposition risks overplaying its hand if it pushes the religious angle too aggressively, which could alienate other communities and trigger a counter-mobilisation.

Also Read: Murmu’s Sabarimala visit carried deeper subplots, got eclipsed by political mudslinging

As the SIT continues its investigation, more details are expected to emerge. Each new revelation is likely to be interpreted through a political lens. The LSG election campaign is expected to intensify over the coming days, and Sabarimala will remain a central theme in speeches and debates. The opposition will attempt to keep the focus on corruption, accountability, and governance failures. The ruling front will aim to shift the conversation towards due process, administrative improvements, and the risks of communal polarisation.