Sivagiri Mutt trust requests Rahul Gandhi to field backward community candidates in winnable seats in Kerala assembly elections

T'puram: Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust has requested Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to ensure that candidates from the backward communities are fielded in winnable seats in the assembly elections. The request was made during Rahul's visit to Sree Narayana Guru's shrine at Sivagiri Mutt in Varkala on Saturday.The Congress leader had attended the centenary celebrations of the Guru-Gandhi meeting in Kollam on Friday. He visited the sacred mutt, which was visited by both Gandhiji and Rabindra Nath Tagore, after offering floral tributes at the Mahasamadhi. Following this, Rahul visited the headquarters of Sharada Mutt and later met the swamis of the Sivagiri Mutt at the guest house during which they made the election-related request.Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust president Swami Sachidananda said that Rahul responded positively to the request, indicating that the matter could be examined. The visit of a prominent Congress leader to Sivagiri during the assembly election time is noteworthy, he said.The event in Kollam was organised jointly by the Sivagiri Mutt and KPCC's Rajiv Gandhi Study and Research Centre. Gandhi's visit is seen as part of Congress's effort to engage the Ezhava community through Sivagiri.