Modi's dais: Cong, Left leaders keep away

As Congress and Left leaders apparently spared themselves from sharing dais with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at an apolitical function at the Amrita Mutt here, some non-BJP politicians like West Bengal Tourism Minister and Haryana Janhit Congress leader turned up for the occasion.
Modi was the chief guest at the function held as part of the ongoing 60th birthday celebrations of the Kerala-based spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi.
West Bengal Tourism Minister Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury, close to Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, and Kuldeep Bishnoi of Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) were among the invitees who turned up at the function held at the mutt at Vallikkavu near here.

Though Congress leaders in the state have refrained from making any critical comments against the Mutt authorities for inviting Modi, the CPI(M) did not conceal its displeasure at rolling out a red carpet to the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate.
This is the second time that Modi had been invited by a major spiritual institution in Kerala after his visit to Sree Narayana Mutt at Sivagiri a few months back, which had also evoked flak from some quarters.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is scheduled to be the chief guest at another session planned as part of the three-day event.

Bishnoi, whose party is already an ally of the BJP, said it was a spiritually energising experience to meet and get the blessings of Amma (Mother), as Amritanandamayi is known among her followers.

After the function, Bishnoi said he was happy that a dynamic leader like Modi had been invited to such an important function by the Mutt authorities.
Non-political personalities on the stage included Senior Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Church Philipose Mar Chrysostam and General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), the powerful socio-cultural outfit of the Ezhava community in the state.