The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, 25 January 2026, demanded that Sonia Gandhi clarify the purpose of her alleged meetings with Unnikrishnan Potti, the prime accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case, claiming the matter pointed to political patronage enjoyed by the accused under both Indian National Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) governments in Kerala.
Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar displayed a photograph purportedly showing Sonia Gandhi with Potti and questioned why the meeting took place when Gandhi was Congress president and Oommen Chandy was the Chief Minister of Kerala.
“Sonia Gandhi and the Congress should explain the agenda behind these meetings,” Chandrasekhar said, alleging that Potti could not have operated without the backing of powerful political forces. He also claimed that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had held a similar meeting with the accused, for which no clear explanation had been offered so far.
Referring to the alleged loss of 4.5 kg of gold from the Sabarimala Temple, Chandrasekhar said the issue had outraged not only Ayyappa devotees but people across Kerala. “Why would Sonia Gandhi, who is not a Sabarimala devotee, give an audience to a broker accused of looting gold from the temple?” he asked, alleging that Potti enjoyed political patronage first under the Congress-led government and later under the CPI(M)-led dispensation.
In a post on X, Chandrasekhar claimed that Sonia Gandhi had met Potti not just once but repeatedly during the period when the Congress was in power in Kerala, and said the party must explain the nature and purpose of those interactions. “If they have nothing to hide, Congress must answer,” he said, adding that the BJP and NDA would intensify protests until clarity was provided.
This question must be asked and needs an answer:
Why did Sonia Gandhi, who was then Congress president meet and engage with Unnikrishnan Potti, the broker who looted Sabarimala? Not just once, but repeatedly at a time when Congress was in govt in Kerala?
Congress must answer.… pic.twitter.com/Bn2B3k7ge5
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) January 25, 2026
Source: India Today
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