THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP leader K Surendran walked out of Poojappura Central jail on Saturday after spending 22 days in different jails. There was a throng of BJP leaders, devotees and party workers to the jail around 11 am to receive him. He was accorded a hero's welcome and carried by party workers on their shoulders into an open jeep. He first went to Pazhavangadi Ganapathy temple. After darshan there, he went to the strike venue in front of the Secretariat where party general secretary A N Radhakrishnan is observing sathyagraha.

By 12:45 pm Surendran reached Secretariat front, where workers welcomed him by showering flower petals on him. He hugged Radhakrishnan after which he addressed the party workers.

Surendran said it is better to die rather than bending knees before Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who can’t protect tradition in Sabarimala. “The success achieved by believers without shedding a drop of blood and using sharanam chanting only as their weapons has become part of history,” he added

Surendran was granted bail by the high court the other day with certain stringent conditions. He was also asked not to enter Pathanamthitta district.

Surendran said his only anxiety was whether there would be violation of tradition in Sabarimala when he was lodged in jail. "But fortunately nothing of that sort has happened. The BJP will continue its democratic and peaceful namajapa protest against violation of tradition in Sabarimala... All these days I have preserved my irumudi kettu. I hope I would be able to make Sabarimala darshan with the permission of the court," he told media persons outside the jail.