Lok Sabha 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence in the BJP’s prospects in Kerala, stating that the “lotus is going to bloom” in the southern state. He emphasized the BJP-led NDA’s determination to surpass previous electoral achievements and secure power at the Centre. Urging Kerala voters to translate their substantial support into votes, Modi called for a strong showing that would enable the BJP to win seats in the state in double digits.
Addressing a large gathering of the BJP-led NDA in a southern Kerala town, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence in the upcoming democratic process, describing it as a grand festival. He firmly believed that Kerala’s growing affection for the BJP would translate into substantial support, breaking previous records in the process. Modi pledged to break the entrenched cycle of LDF and UDF dominance in Kerala, expressing his conviction that the state would strongly support the BJP this time. Modi assured the audience of his unwavering commitment to Kerala’s development, promising to spare no effort in achieving this goal.
His statement came shortly after the Election Commission announced that it would unveil the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday.
The Prime Minister reached out to the Christian community in Kerala, which is crucial for the NDA‘s victory in certain Lok Sabha constituencies such as Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, and Thiruvananthapuram. During his address, he mentioned his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican and highlighted his government’s successful efforts to rescue a priest from Kottayam who had been captured by ISIS militants in Yemen.
“In 2021, during my meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican, I specifically mentioned Kerala. He, too, was impressed by the progress India has made. Over the past 10 years, our government has worked tirelessly for every community and region of the country. We successfully brought back our sister nurses who were stranded in the midst of war in Iraq. We also ensured the safe return of our Christian priests who were facing trouble,” Modi stated.
He was referring to the rescue of Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a Catholic priest from Kerala who was abducted in war-torn Yemen in 2016 and rescued from ISIS captivity after 18 months during a deadly attack on a care home in the port city of Aden.
In 2014, soon after the first Modi government came to power, the government had safely evacuated 46 Indian nurses, including a large number of Keralites, from the then strife-torn Iraq.
Amid criticism from the Congress and the Left in Kerala over recent violence against Christians in Manipur, Modi, in his speech, subtly alluded to the case of a Catholic priest being struck by a vehicle in Poonjar, Kottayam district last month, lamenting, “It’s regrettable that even church priests in Kerala are not immune to violence.”
In his address, Modi highlighted Anil K Antony, a prominent Christian face in Kerala and son of former Union Minister A K Antony, who is contesting the parliamentary seat of Pathanamthitta for the BJP. Modi portrayed Antony as a symbol of youthfulness and freshness in Kerala politics, emphasizing his departure from the Congress to join the BJP.
പുരോഗമന ചിന്താഗതിയുള്ള സംസ്ഥാനമാണ് കേരളം പക്ഷേ എൽഡിഎഫും യുഡിഫും അതിനു മുഴുവനായും നേർവിപരീതമാണ്. pic.twitter.com/616a6u8Vln
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 15, 2024
The PM expressed confidence in the BJP’s prospects in Kerala, aiming for double-digit seats in the upcoming elections after achieving a double-digit vote share in 2019. He declared that the “lotus is going to bloom” in Kerala this time, criticizing the alleged corruption and incompetence of the ruling LDF and UDF governments.
Modi highlighted issues such as gold smuggling and the solar panel scam, attributing them to the failures of the LDF and UDF governments. He argued that breaking the cycle of consecutive LDF and UDF governments is necessary for the state’s progress, stating that their ideologies are outdated and in contrast to the forward-thinking nature of the people of Kerala.
The PM emphasized the importance of having BJP MPs in Kerala to effectively communicate the state’s needs to the Centre and ensure the implementation of central projects. He assured that the correct views and opinions of the people of Kerala would reach the Centre through BJP MPs, dubbing it “Modiyude Guarantee.”
Modi began his speech by chanting “Swamiye Saranamayyappa” in reference to the Sabarimala shrine, located in Pathanamthitta district. He also extended advanced Easter wishes to all, acknowledging the upcoming festivals of Nowruz, Ram Navami, Holi, and Ramzan.
In addition to NDA’s Lok Sabha candidates, Padmaja Venugopal, who recently joined the BJP after quitting the Congress, was also present on the stage.