Kozhikode, PTI
The BJP, represented by state president K Surendran, has called for changing the name of Sulthan Bathery town in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, arguing that its original name was Ganapathivattom before Tipu Sultan’s invasion of the Malabar region in Kerala two centuries ago. Surendran, contesting against sitting MP Rahul Gandhi and CPI leader Annie Raja, emphasized the necessity of restoring the town’s original name.
Raising the issue during his election campaign, Surendran questioned why a place in Kerala should bear the name of an aggressor like Tipu Sultan. He alleged that the Congress and LDF preferred to refer to it as Sulthan Bathery, aligning themselves with Tipu Sultan, whom he accused of forcefully converting people in Kerala, especially in Wayanad and Malabar.
Surendran claimed that late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan first raised this issue in 1984. According to Kerala Tourism, Sulthan Bathery was previously known as Ganapathivattom. However, the Congress dismissed Surendran’s call, with leader T Siddique stating that it’s just an attempt to gain attention and holds no significance.
