PM Modi draws Gujarat parallel, signals political shift in Kerala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that the BJP’s political journey in Kerala has begun on the same trajectory as it once did in Gujarat, recalling that his party’s rise there started with the victory of a single city nearly four decades ago.Addressing a massive BJP-organised rally at Putharikandam Maidan in Thiruvananthapuram, Modi said the party’s recent win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation — ending over four decades of Left rule in the civic body — marked the beginning of a broader political change in the state ahead of the Assembly elections, which are just months away.“In 1987, the BJP won the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for the first time. From that one city, the people of Gujarat gradually placed their trust in us for decades,” Modi said. “Our journey in Kerala has also begun with a single city. This shows that the people of Kerala are beginning to connect with the BJP in the same way.”

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: At a BJP rally, PM Modi says, "...I see a new energy, a new hope here today. Your energy gives us the confidence that now there will indeed be a change in Kerala...Before 1987, BJP was a party at the periphery in Gujarat. In 1987, for the… pic.twitter.com/1Du4RtWIcQ

— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2026

The Prime Minister claimed that the BJP’s civic victory was driven by public determination to free Kerala from what he described as the “corrupt and ineffective” governance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF). He alleged that successive governments had neglected Thiruvananthapuram for decades, depriving the capital of basic infrastructure and facilities.“The Left and the Congress have consistently failed to address the needs of the people,” Modi said. “Our BJP team has already begun working towards a developed Thiruvananthapuram. Have faith — the long-overdue change is finally on its way.”Modi said Thiruvananthapuram would be developed as a model city for the entire country, assuring full support from the Centre to transform it into one of India’s leading urban centres.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple development projects across sectors in the poll-bound state. He also flagged off four new train services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains — Nagercoil–Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram–Tambaram, and Thiruvananthapuram–Charlapalli — along with a Thrissur–Guruvayur passenger train, aimed at boosting regional connectivity.Modi launched the UPI-linked PM SVANidhi Credit Card, providing interest-free revolving credit to street vendors, and disbursed loans to nearly one lakh beneficiaries under the scheme, including many from Kerala. Introduced in 2020, the scheme is aimed at strengthening financial inclusion for informal workers.
Among other initiatives, the Prime Minister inaugurated the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub, focusing on life sciences, Ayurveda-biotech integration, sustainable packaging, green hydrogen and startup-led research commercialisation. He also launched a state-of-the-art Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for advanced brain disorder treatments and unveiled the upgraded Poojappura Head Post Office, offering integrated postal, banking, insurance and digital services.