"Mood for change in Kazhakkoottam": V Muraleedharan sees NDA surge after PM Modi's rally in Kerala ahead of polls
Thiruvananthapuram, March 29
Ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, BJP candidate for Kazhakkoottam, V Muraleedharan, asserted that a strong "mood for change" is visible among voters in the constituency and across the state.
His remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed his first BJP-NDA rally in Kerala, intensifying the party's campaign push.
Muraleedhanran expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would benefit from the shifting political sentiment, particularly in Kazhakkoottam. "There is a general mood among the people that there is a need for a change, especially in Kazhakkoottam and in general in the state of Kerala. I'm sure that NDA will benefit from that, and this election will give a result which will be in favour of NDA and BJP in Kazhakkoottam," he told ANI.
Highlighting the significance of the Prime Minister's visit, he added, "Prime Minister Modi is making his first visit today. I'm sure that the momentum of the elections will go up, especially the BJP workers and pro-development citizens who are in favour of Kerala progressing and Kerala going ahead, they are enthused by the visit of the Prime Minister, which is going to happen today and the next phase, which will be in Trivandrum."
Meanwhile, addressing a rally in Palakkad, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), accusing them of corruption and vote-bank politics. "Keralam has been trapped for decades between the two masks of selfish politics... one corrupt, the other mega-corrupt," he alleged.
The Prime Minister further claimed that the NDA's growing popularity reflects a desire for change. He assured voters that a BJP-led government would ensure rapid development in the state, calling it "Modi's guarantee."
Kerala will go to polls in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4. During this election, the Congress-led UDF seek to unseat the incumbent Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF and gain control of the 140-member assembly. The LDF-led government has governed the state for around a decade. Around 2.7 crore electors are expected to participate in the election.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Living in Trivandrum, I can sense a shift. People are tired of the same old politics. While I'm not a hardcore BJP supporter, the idea of a third force breaking the LDF-UDF monopoly is appealing. Let's see if they can deliver on the ground.
Change is needed, but is BJP the answer for Kerala? Our social fabric is different. I respect PM Modi's work nationally, but his party's local leadership here needs to connect better with Malayali ethos beyond just rallies. The "mood" might be exaggerated.
As a young professional in Kazhakkoottam, I agree there's a mood for change. But it's not necessarily pro-NDA. It's anti-incumbency against the LDF government. The UDF might be the real beneficiary. BJP still has a long way to go to win seats here.
Modi calling others corrupt is rich. The state has its issues, but Kerala's model in health and education is praised worldwide. We don't need polarizing national politics here. The focus should be on local issues like price rise and unemployment.
The BJP's surge is real in some pockets. Their work with the fisherfolk community and the organizational push is visible. A strong opposition is healthy for democracy. Maybe this will force the traditional fronts to perform better. 🤞
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.