PM Modi in Kerala: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a roadshow in Kerala's Thrissur and addressed a mass gathering of women at the Bharatiya Janata Party's Mahila Conference.
Titled 'Sthree Shakthi Modikk Oppam' (Empower Women with Modi), the convention, is being held at the sprawling Thekkinkadu ground. It has been organised by the Kerala unit of the BJP to congratulate PM Modi for successfully passing the Women's Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament.
The event was organised as thanks-giving for passing the Women's Reservation Bill.
In a fiery speech at a women's convention, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the I.N.D.I.A. alliance, alleging that it is impeding the growth and progress of the state.With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the prime minister confidently declared that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would emerge victorious in Kerala.
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has now become law, the PM said, emphasising that he has fulfilled his commitment to the cause of women empowerment.
"Regrettably, after independence, the Leftist Congress government undermined the strength of our women," the PM alleged.
"The Congress and other parties delayed the reservation bill in the Lok Sabha. However, the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam has now become law. Modi has fulfilled his commitment," he said.
Asserting that the progress of the poor, women, youth and farmers will ensure national growth, he also said there is a buzz around "Modi's guarantee", apparently referring to the Centre's developmental initiatives.
The Prime Minister also said he guaranteed freedom from triple talaq for Muslim women and fulfilled it honestly.
Speaking about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Modi said that Kerala recognises the BJP as the party capable of amplifying its development, dismissing the support that the Left parties and Congress-led alliances could garner.
He accused the INDIA Alliance of hindering the state's growth, attributing India's overall dynamic development to the alliance's alleged dislike for him.
"BJP will defeat the INDIA Alliance in Kerala," Modi said, underscoring the party's commitment to overcoming the perceived obstacles posed by the alliance.
The Prime Minister insisted that the state's advancement hinges on aligning with the BJP, urging the electorate to choose development over what he portrayed as a hindrance to progress.
Addressing the massive gathering at the 'Women Power with Modi' event, the PM expressed optimism that the winds of change from Thrissur would sweep across Kerala, bringing about a transformation.
Modi, the key campaigner for the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary elections, reiterated his commitment to working the 'Modi Magic' and emphasised the 'Modi Guarantee'.
In Thrissur, deemed a hopeful constituency for the BJP in Kerala, actor-MP Suresh Gopi is a leading candidate for the BJP, given the significant Christian voter base of over 30 per cent, which the party has been wooing in recent times.
Women from diverse backgrounds, including anganwadi teachers, ASHA workers, entrepreneurs, artists, MGNREGA and neighbourhood network workers, and social and cultural activists, are present at the event.
Though the programme is planned as a mass meeting of women, it is viewed as the official launch of the poll campaign by the BJP for the upcoming general elections in its attempt to make political inroads in Kerala, which is currently dominated by CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF.
Lok Sabha poll campaign:
The BJP state leadership recently made it clear that more national leaders would visit the southern state and interact with the people in the next few months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The selection of Thrissur as the venue of the mass event also assumes significance as it is one of the constituencies in which the saffron party hopes for a good show in the upcoming polls.
BJP state chief K Surendran has said women from various walks of life, including prominent personalities who have made their mark in various fields, would attend the event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Thrissur.
Modi's Thrissur visit would become a landmark in the political history of the southern state, he claimed.
BJP is likely to field actor Suresh Gopi from Thrissur constituency. Ahead of Modi’s visit, Gopi’s posters have also come up in the city highlighting him as the BJP candidate from Thrissur. Gopi had unsuccessfully contested 2019 Lok Sabha election and 2021 assembly election from Thrissur constituency.
When asked if Modi’s visit to Thrissur is because BJP sees Thrissur as the best bet to win in Kerala, the state BJP President K Surendran said that PM Modi in the past has visited state capital, Kozhikode, Kochi and will also visit Thrissur.
The BJP led NDA- which contested all 20 seats during 2019 Lok Sabha polls- finished second in Thiruvananthapuram and a distant third in the remaining seats across the state.
The BJP has so far only won one assembly seat in the coastal state in 2016 assembly polls but lost it again during the 2021 assembly polls.
Mariyakutty to meet PM Modi at BJP event:
"Actress-danseuse Shobhana, cricketer Minnu Mani, entrepreneur Beena Kannan, singer Vaikom Vijayalakshmi and Mariyakutty, who raised her voice against corruption and red tapism, will be among those who will share the venue with the PM," Surendran told media in Thrissur.
A cross-section of women from Kerala would gather in Thrissur as part of the programme, he said adding that there is no doubt that it would become a historic event. Surendran further claimed that the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF would soon experience a political decline in the state.
(With agencies inputs)
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