Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP leaders are in a spot after union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi declared Jallikattu a “terrible sport” and that the BJP should not try to win votes through this sport.

Maneka Gandhi, in Chennai to participate in string of government programmes, said that the BJP had more important things to do in Tamil Nadu and it is a terrible festival. “We should look to promote good things here,” she said in informal chat with media persons on Monday.

But her views did not go down well with two important BJP leaders here – union minister of state for road transport, Pon Radhakrishnan and TN BJP unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Union minister of state for road transport, Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state unit chief Soundararajan are fully supporting Jallikattu and in fact want the central government to do everything it can to ensure that Jallikattu returns to Tamil Nadu next Pongal.

The union minister from Tamil Nadu had also prevailed on his counterpart Prakash Javdekar to come out with a ministerial order that paved the way for return of Jallikattu till the Surpeme Court intervened and struck it down.

Radhakrishnan told media persons, “The sport will be back with all its old colours and BJP in Tamil Nadu will not give up its fight until it is brought back.”

Tamilisai Soundararajan was out in full support for the bull taming sport. Describing it as a sport of courage and valor, she said, “the BJP will do anything to bring back Jallikattu to the state. The BJP is determined and committed to this.”

During last Pongal, the Central government had tried its best to facilitate the festival but courts had intervened.

“But this time around, the Centre will try and make foolproof legislations to ensure that Tamil Nadu peoples sentiments associated with Jallikattu are honored. I am hopeful that the central government will be successful this time,” Soundararajan said in a press statement issued here on Tuesday.

Maneka Gandhi’s views are personal and do not reflect the party’s viewpoint, she told a private television channel.