<h1>Opposition repurposes major religious festival into nationwide cultural campaign to counter 'anti-local' narrative and engage diaspora</h1> An opposition party is repurposing a major religious festival into a coordinated cultural-political campaign to counter the ruling regional party's narrative that it is 'anti-local.' Measures include sending dozens of state leaders to engage diaspora communities nationwide, reviving a high-profile festival event, expanding bookstalls at community venues with curated political content, and offering prizes to organisers. The campaign aims to reframe party identity as aligned with regional pride, neutralise allegations of cultural insensitivity, and generate electoral ripple effects through family and community networks despite many diaspora members not voting locally.