Addressing a rally in Kerala's Palakkad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to develop the state and make it a global heritage in the next five years with more Vande Bharat trains and expressways. He said, "BJP has released the vision of 'Vikas' and 'Viraasat' for the next 5 years. Palakkad is also called the gateway of Kerala. The natural beauty here fascinates everyone. There are many temples, churches and places of faith here in Kerala. In the next 5 years, we will work to make Kerala a global heritage. We will connect Kerala with the network of Highways Expressways and high-speed Vande Bharat trains."
Speaking on the NDA's work in the developmental front in Kerala, the Prime Minister said, "Under the Jal Jeevan Mission in the last tenure of the NDA govt in Kerala, over 36 lakh tap water connections have been provided. The pace at which Jal Jeevan Jal Mission has been run in the entire country, the Kerala govt is not allowing that much to happen, they are looking for corruption. That is why even today, there is a crisis of drinking water in homes in Kerala...I guarantee you that I want to provide water from every household in Kerala."
He told peopel that the upcoming election was about the future of the country , to secure the bright future of children. He said people have witness how the last ten years of the NDA government enchanced India's image in the world. He said, "This election is an election to take decisions for the future of the country. This election is an election to guarantee your bright future and the bright life of your children. The people of Kerala have seen in the last ten years how the NDA government has enhanced India's credibility across the world."
Hitting out at the Congress, he said, "The Congress government had created the image of India as a weak country. The BJP government has made India a strong country. Today when an Indian goes abroad, he is treated with respect. Today's India has the power to rescue its citizens trapped in war. Today's India does not look towards other countries in an epidemic like COVID. We make indigenous vaccines. Along with our country, we also help other countries of the world."
PM Modi took part in the rallies as a part of the Bhartiya Janata Party's electoral campaign for the NDA candidates TN Sarasu and Suresh Gopi, contesting in Alathur and Thrissur respectively. Voting in Kerala for the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled to be held on April 26, covering all 20 constituencies. This marks Prime Minister Modi's sixth visit to the southern state. His previous visit was on March 19, during which he conducted a significant roadshow in Palakkad district.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP fielded actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi from Thrissur, securing a notable 28.2 percent vote share compared to its 2014 candidate K. P. Sreesan's 11.15 percent.
After this, the Prime Minister will visit Kattakkada in Thiruvananthapuram District, where he will campaign for V Muraleedharan and Rajeev Chandrashekar, both Union ministers contesting under the NDA alliance from Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seats, respectively.
In the Assembly elections, the party bagged victory only once, in Nemam seat in Thiruvananthapuram district, where O Rajagopal emerged victorious in 2016. Notably, Nemam was the sole constituency among the 20 Lok Sabha seats where the saffron party had managed to secure second place in the 2014 general assembly elections.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan with 31.3 percent of the votes secured the highest vote share among the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, Chandrasekhar's entry in the contest has transformed it into a three-way competition, making it one of the most closely observed battles in the Lok Sabha elections.