Thiruvananthapuram: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) clear objective is to form a government in Kerala with its own Chief Minister, asserting that only such leadership can ensure the state’s “real development.”
Addressing a conference of BJP elected representatives in Thiruvananthapuram, Shah expressed confidence that the party could capture power in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. He told party workers that the BJP’s vote share in the state has already reached around 30 per cent and that it would not be difficult to raise it to 40 per cent.
“Today, in the capital city of Kerala, we are seeing a BJP Mayor. Tomorrow, it will be a BJP Chief Minister,” Shah said, drawing loud applause from party leaders and workers present at the meeting.
Praising the dedication and resilience of BJP workers in Kerala, the Home Minister said the party’s growth in the state had not come easily. He noted that despite lacking political power and administrative influence for decades, BJP workers remained steadfast and united, laying a strong foundation for the party’s expansion.
“The success the BJP is witnessing in Kerala was not achieved easily. Without the backing of power, our workers stood firm like a rock and ensured the lotus bloomed here,” Shah said, acknowledging what he described as the “fighting spirit” of party cadres.
Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), alleging that they share equal responsibility for blocking Kerala’s development. He accused the two fronts of engaging in what he termed “match-fixing” politics, claiming that despite appearing as rivals, both alliances have failed the state on key issues.
According to Shah, the LDF and UDF are incapable of guaranteeing development, security, and protection of faith—three pillars he said were essential for Kerala’s progress. “These fronts have taken turns in power, but the people of Kerala have not received the development they truly deserve,” he alleged.
Linking Kerala’s future to the national vision laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said that achieving the goal of “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) by 2047 is impossible without a “Viksit Kerala” (Developed Kerala). He underlined that Kerala has a crucial role to play in India’s overall growth story.
The Home Minister further asserted that only the BJP is capable of protecting faith, ensuring national and regional security, and defeating forces he described as “anti-Kerala.” He urged BJP’s elected representatives and grassroots workers to intensify their efforts, expand the party’s reach across communities, and prepare for what he described as a historic electoral battle ahead.
Shah’s remarks signal the BJP’s renewed push to emerge as a decisive political force in Kerala, traditionally dominated by the LDF and UDF, as the party eyes a breakthrough in the next Assembly elections.
