BJP's Kerala yatra a mirror for communist governments to stop political killings: Yogi Adityanath

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath trained his guns on the Kerala government moments after reaching the state on Wednesday for the Janaraksha Yatra. 

Accusing the CPM government in the state of indulging in political killings, Adityanath said the yatra - launched a day earlier by BJP chief Amit Shah - is a strong message to communist state governments in the country. "This yatra is a mirror for communist governments in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. They should put an end to political killings," he said. "There is no place for violence in a democracy but political killings are continuing here."

BJP has repeatedly accused that its party workers in the state are being targeted. The party has said that since 2001, close to 120 of its workers have been killed by members of the Left. Under Amit Shah, the BJP is now looking to gain a major foothold in what has traditionally been a left bastion. The party chief on Tuesday had flagged off the Janaraksha Yatra and had accused Pinarayi Vijayan of having blood on his hands. "I am asking Chief Minister Vijayan, who has killed BJP and RSS workers in Kerala. If he does not have answers, then I am saying that Chief Minister Vijayan is himself responsible for the killings," he had said. "End of CPM will herald the end of political violence."

After Shah, Yogi's participation in the yatra is being looked at further galvanising party workers in Kerala. CPM though has not been entirely silent and had a tongue-in-cheek response to news of the UP CM visiting the state. "We invite UP CM Yogi to visit Kerala Hospitals to learn how to run Hospitals effectively," read a tweet from the party's official handle. This was a snide reference to death of many children in a Gorakhpur hospital - allegedly due to oxygen supply shortage.

Several big-wigs of the party - including general secretary Sitaram Yechury - too have spoken out against BJP assembling its leaders in Kerala, and said the state will continue to 'reject the ways of the saffron party.'