Like Northeastern states and Goa, Kerala too will accept BJP: PM Modi

Shortly after his arrival, he commenced a road show – 1.8 km away from the venue of a youth programme – amid tight security. He walked along the road for around 15 minutes, as a cheering crowd watched, before boarding an SUV for the rest of the road show.

At the conclave, Yuvam 2023, which was attended by an estimated 20,000 people, the Prime Minister called for change in the state. “The way Northeastern states and Goa accepted the BJP, its work and its government, Kerala too will accept it in the coming days,” Modi said, as he asked the youth to stand for change.

“The BJP and the youth of the country share the same wavelength. We bring reforms and you bring the results,” he said.

Modi said the BJP government at the Centre is working along with the youth and is making development a reality. “While previous governments were known for scams, the BJP government in the past nine years has been creating opportunities for the youth,” he said.

Taking a swipe at the ruling CPI(M) and Congress in Kerala, he said, “While one party is working to promote its political interest above the interest of the state, the other is working for the interest of one family. Time has come to defeat these two political ideologies.”

Reiterating the changes brought in by his government, Modi said that once upon a time India was one of the ‘Fragile Five’ countries. Today India is known as one of the fastest-growing economies, he said. “It’s because of the youth, and, therefore, I strongly believe in the youth of my country. I have faith in them,” he said.

He said youth power was the driving force of India’s development journey as youngsters were instrumental in transforming the country into one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Later, the Prime Minister had a 20-minute meeting with eight bishops, most of them heads of various Christian denominations in Kerala. BJP state president K Surendran later said the meeting was cordial and development of the state figured in the discussions.

The meeting is being seen as part of the BJP’s minority outreach. Party leaders had visited Christian and Muslim leaders and the homes of people belonging to these communities on the occasions of Easter and Eid, respectively.

Earlier, the Catholic Church had sought the Centre’s intervention to improve the prices of the natural rubber and made it a condition to give support for the BJP in the coming elections.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister will fly to Thiruvananthapuram, where he would flag off a Vande Bharat train service from the state capital to Kasaragod. He will also dedicate the Kochi water metro and lay the foundation stone for a Rs 1,500-crore digital science park.