THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Modi, Modi!” Not from the viral video of a child calling the prime minister’s name, but the roar of thousands of people who gathered along the Killipalam-Karamana road in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, expressing their excitement at seeing their favourite leader.
Amidst an umpteen number of mobile flashes and floral showers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took out a roadshow, campaigning for the NDA. Standing on a saffron-coloured vehicle modelled as a chariot decorated with flowers, Modi held aloft an illuminated ‘Lotus’ symbol and waved it at the people.
Besides BJP state president and party candidate in Nemom, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the other BJP candidates who accompanied Modi in the vehicle were R Sreelekha (Vattiyoorkavu), V Muraleedharan (Kazhakoottam) and Karamana Jayan (Thiruvananthapuram).
The high-energy roadshow drew huge crowds that thronged the 1.5km Killipalam-Karamana route many hours before the event.
Thousands of BJP workers and enthusiastic supporters lined the route, waving flags and chanting slogans, to catch a glimpse of Modi as his convoy moved slowly through the packed stretch.
The route was chosen as it links the Nemom and Thiruvananthapuram assembly constituencies where the BJP sees high electoral prospects. The crowd started pouring in for the programme as early as 2pm, along one side of the road.
Though the roadshow began only by 6pm, an hour later than scheduled, nothing, not even the late afternoon sun or the dark clouds that loomed later in the evening, seemed to bother the crowd.
Not just party workers, but women, children, and senior citizens too attended the event. “Religion doesn’t matter. After all, he is our prime minister,” said Muhammed, a senior citizen.
He also commented that, given the energy in the crowd, the BJP looked on course to secure a few seats in the assembly.
Even migrant workers lined up to get a glimpse of the PM. “I can’t miss the sight of Modiji — he is our hero,” said West Bengal native Aman, who stood before the restaurant he worked in.
Beaming with the joy of seeing her idol, Pappanamcode resident Priya gushed about seeing Modi from the closest possible distance. “In fact, we even forgot to drink water after reaching here,” she said about her four-hour-long wait to see the PM.
Her friends, Selvi and Deepa, said with the prime minister’s roadshow entering Nemom too, Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s victory was almost certain.
Karamana resident Gopi, however, did not share the optimism. “The programme is spectacular, but one cannot be sure if all this crowd will translate into votes on April 9,” he said. As the crowd started dispersing, a youngster was seen telling his friend: “No one can deny that Modiji has unmatched grace.”
Countdown for regime change has begun in Kerala, says prime minister
“The Congress, on the other hand, has historically distanced itself from Hindu beliefs and customs, and is now merely ‘acting’ as a well-wisher for political gains,” Modi said.
Stating that a countdown for regime change has begun in Kerala, Modi expressed confidence that the NDA would form its first government in the state, citing what he described as a “growing wave of change”. Modi said both the LDF and UDF call each other BJP’s ‘B-team’ because they know that the BJP is the real ‘A-team’ in this election.
He alleged that misinformation has become a “habit” of the opposition parties. Drawing parallels with protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, he said those who had earlier “misled the nation” were now spreading lies about the FCRA as well.
“They have taken a ‘quotation’ to spread lies against every good initiative,” the PM said, accusing the two fronts of acting as “secret partners” in Kerala’s politics. He asserted that the BJP-led NDA remains the only genuine alternative in the state.
Modi also came down heavily on the state’s development record, alleging that successive LDF and UDF governments had failed to deliver on infrastructure and governance.
He pointed to poor rural roads and deficiencies in institutions, citing Kottayam Medical College Hospital as an example of neglect.
Highlighting the Centre’s role, he said the NDA government had provided significantly higher financial assistance to Kerala compared to previous Congress-led regimes. He reiterated that a “double-engine government” would accelerate development and ensure that central schemes reach people more effectively.
Praising Anoop Antony, NDA’s candidate in Tiruvalla, Modi described him as a trusted associate who had worked closely with him for years. “I am entrusting him with serving Kerala,” he said, expressing confidence in Anoop’s leadership abilities.
On youth unemployment and migration from Kerala, the PM emphasised the need for industrial growth, startups, and valuing the talent of Kerala’s youth.
He accused Congress leaders of making provocative statements that endanger the safety of Indians abroad, especially in Gulf countries amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.