On a high after mayoral success in Kerala’s capital, BJP plans to kickstart Assembly election campaign with Modi roadshow

BJP state general secretary S Suresh said on Tuesday that the party has kept its promise and that Modi is coming on the 27th day of the BJP assuming office at the corporation.

“Modi will be given a reception during a roadshow on his way to the venue of a gathering of around 25,000 workers. After the roadshow, Modi will take part in an official function of the Railways, in which he will flag off new train services either starting from the state or passing through the state. After this, Modi will address a BJP event. His visit will mark the kick-start of the BJP’s campaign for the Assembly elections,” said Suresh.

BJP has been on a high after winning the Thiruvananthapuram corporation, which is spread across three Assembly constituencies where the party has high stakes in the coming elections.

Addressing a BJP rally in Kolkata last week, Modi had mentioned the BJP’s mayoral victory in Thiruvananthapuram. On Tuesday, after congratulating Nitin Nabin on becoming the national president of the BJP, Modi again highlighted the party’s success in Thiruvananthapuram. “I have faith that the people of Kerala will give the BJP a chance in the next Assembly elections,” he said.

Two weeks ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Kerala’s capital, where he addressed the newly elected members of local bodies in Kerala.

BJP has put forward a three-point agenda for the Assembly elections, “Viswasa (faith), Surakshitha (secure) and Vikasita (developed) Keralam”.

With the scandal around the alleged theft of gold from the Sabarimala temple deepening, the BJP has been at the forefront of the agitation on the issue, highlighting the party’s commitment to protecting the faithful. It has also demanded that the probe be handed over to the CBI. Keeping the issue alive, the BJP on Tuesday took out a large march to the house of senior CPI(M) leader Kadakampally Surendran, who had served as the Devaswom (temple affairs) minister in the last LDF regime during which the gold theft is alleged to have taken place.

The BJP’s campaign has also focused on targeting Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and Opposition Congress over what it calls their “appeasement” politics. The party has alleged that the Congress and the CPI(M) have an alliance with the Jamaat-e-Islami and the SDPI — the political wing of the banned Popular Front of India.