Thrissur: Kerala will emerge as a strong voice in the Lok Sabha this time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.
The PM said that bullet train service which is being implemented in western India would soon become a reality in South India. "Once the NDA government comes back to power for a third time, it will commence survey work for ensuring bullet trains in north, east and south India similar to the bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. It would spearhead development in the South," he said. By referring to him in third person, the PM spoke of the various promises and development programmes mentioned in the BJP's manifesto -- called 'Modi ki Guarantee' -- that was released on Sunday.
He was taking part in the public meeting as part of the election campaign on Monday morning at Kunnamkulam in Alathur constituency in Thrissur district.
The Prime Minister added that the achievements of the BJP government in the past 10 years was a mere trailer. He also attacked the Congress by alleging that it created a weak image of India in the world, while the BJP had built the country into a strong nation.
He also accused the Left government of hindering Centre's development programmes in the southern state and alleged that the Left front will ruin Kerala like it did in other states where it was in power in the past.
Modi also attacked the CPM-led government in the state by referring to the Karuvannur Cooperative bank scam and accusing the Left party of looting money belonging to the poor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Kerala on Sunday as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's fervent electoral drive leading up to the imminent Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister, who reached Kochi from Mysuru on Sunday night, stayed at the Ernakulam Guest House.
The Prime Minister is attending the election campaign for NDA candidates T N Sarasu and Suresh Gopi, contesting in Alathur and Thrissur respectively.
After that, he will travel to Kattakkada in Thiruvananthapuram district. At Kattakkada, Modi will campaign for V Muraleedharan and Rajeev Chandrashekar, the two union ministers contesting under the NDA banner from Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram constituencies respectively.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also in Kerala for election campaign today. Polling in Kerala for the general elections will be held on April 26 for all 20 constituencies. This is Modi's sixth visit to the state. He had last come to Kerala on March 19 when he held a massive roadshow in Palakkad district. His Palakkad roadshow followed his participation at a public meeting in Pathanamthitta town on March 15, where he rallied support for NDA candidates contesting in the southern Kerala constituencies. Prior to that, he had visited the state twice in January and once in February. These visits included both official and party functions.
(With PTI inputs.)
