ALAPPUZHA: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers called on SNDP yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan Monday morning. The chief minister was here to inaugurate the tourism project permitted by the government in Kanichukulangara Temple. Pinarayi is calling on Vellappally for the first time after taking over as chief minister. Ministers Thomas Isaac, G Sudhakaran, P Thilothaman and Kadakampally Surendran accompanied the chief minister.

The government constructed a tourism facilitation centre at the temple at a cost of Rs 3.33 crore. Vellappally is the chairman of the Kanichukulangara Bhagavathy Temple. The chief minister and the ministers were here as part of the inaugural ceremony. It has been assessed that this visit has political importance in the wake of the Lok Sabha polls round the corner. Their visit is at a time when the NSS and the CPM are crossing swords.

The SNDP Yogam had earlier taken a stand supporting the government in the Sabarimala issue. Vellappally had played a crucial role in making the women wall a success. In this situation, the government permitted the project for the temple.

The chief minister has eight programmes in the district. After inaugurating two projects, the chief minister will leave for the capital city in a helicopter to partake in the meet and will return to Alappuzha and complete the other projects.