Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Kerala on Saturday and spoke about his party’s plans for the state. He said that for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it is more important to make their new state office a centre for development in Kerala than to have a Chief Minister from their party.

He spoke at a large gathering of BJP workers and supporters at Putharikandam Maidan in Thiruvananthapuram. This meeting was organised after he inaugurated the new state committee office of the BJP in Kerala. This office has been named Mararji Bhavan.

What did Amit Shah say about ‘Vikasit Keralam’?

During his speech, Amit Shah launched the logo and motto of the BJP’s new mission called ‘Vikasit Keralam’, which means a “Developed Kerala”. He said that the way to make India a developed country, called ‘Vikasit Bharat’, starts from Kerala. He explained that if Kerala develops, then India can become fully developed.
He said, “From now onwards, the main goal of the BJP will be a ‘Vikasit Keralam’.” He underlined this again and again, showing how important Kerala’s growth is for his party.

About the new BJP state office

Before addressing the gathering, Amit Shah inaugurated the Mararji Bhavan, which is the new state committee office of the BJP. After the inauguration, he paid floral tributes to a bronze half-bust statue of K.G. Marar, who was a former BJP state president in Kerala. The statue is installed in the central hall of the new building.
Amit Shah was accompanied by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the BJP state president, and other senior leaders of the party’s Kerala unit. They took him on a tour of the new building to show its facilities.

His visit and other programmes

Amit Shah arrived in Kerala late on Friday night. Later in the afternoon, after addressing party workers, he planned to take part in a closed-door BJP state leadership meeting. In this meeting, the main focus was on preparations for the upcoming local body elections in Kerala this year and the assembly elections that will happen next year.

According to his schedule, he was expected to leave Thiruvananthapuram by 4 pm for Kannur, where he would visit the famous Rajarajeshwara Temple in Taliparamba. After the temple visit, he would return to Delhi.

Because of his visit to Kannur, the District Collector there announced that no drones, paragliders, hot air balloons, or any unmanned aerial vehicles would be allowed within five kilometres of the airport for three days to ensure security.

What did Amit Shah say about Kerala politics?

During his speech, Amit Shah criticised both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is led by the CPI(M), and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), which is led by the Congress party. He accused both parties of failing the people of Kerala.

He said that the governments of LDF and UDF only created corruption and followed appeasement politics. He also said that under these two parties, Kerala has become a haven for anti-national forces, like the Popular Front of India (PFI).

He told BJP workers that only the BJP-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) can bring real development to Kerala. He emphasised that ‘Vikasit Bharat’ is not possible without strong southern states, and Kerala is an important part of this.

He repeated that the route to a Developed India (Vikasit Bharat) goes through a Developed Kerala (Vikasit Keralam). “Therefore, from now on, the basic aim of the BJP will be a ‘Vikasit Keralam’,” he underlined.

Why is this visit important?

This visit by Amit Shah is important for the BJP because Kerala is going to have local body elections soon and assembly elections next year. By launching the ‘Vikasit Keralam’ mission, the BJP wants to show the people of Kerala that it cares about the development of their state.
By inaugurating the new state office and meeting the party’s leaders and workers, Amit Shah tried to motivate them to work hard and prepare for the upcoming elections. He also wanted to show that the BJP is ready to become a strong political force in Kerala, where it has not yet been able to form a government.

How are people reacting?

People in Kerala are watching these developments closely. While BJP workers are happy with the new mission and Amit Shah’s visit, the leaders of LDF and UDF have not yet reacted strongly. However, political experts say that both parties will prepare to face a stronger BJP in the coming elections.
Some local people say that they will support any party that works for real development, creates jobs, and controls prices. Others say that parties should not only talk about development during elections but also work for it every day.

What is the plan?

After launching ‘Vikasit Keralam’, the BJP will start its campaign for the upcoming elections. The party leaders said that they will visit every district and meet people to explain their plans for development.

Amit Shah’s visit has given energy to the BJP workers in Kerala. Now it remains to be seen whether this new mission will help the BJP win more seats in the local body polls and the assembly elections next year.