Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram to officially launch ‘Mission 2026’, a strategic plan aimed at securing victory for the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala.

According to party sources, the Prime Minister is slated to visit the state capital before January 24. The national leadership has already directed the BJP state unit to prepare for the event.

Under the plan, the party has decided to finalise candidates for 34 Assembly constituencies by the second week of January to kick-start the election campaign. The BJP had earlier announced that the PM would visit the capital to unveil a blueprint for city development within 45 days if the party secured control of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

The party now intends to use this visit to simultaneously launch its Assembly election campaign. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier announced the launch of the Vikasit Kerala (Developed Kerala) programme in Thiruvananthapuram under the party’s Mission 2025 plan as part of the recent local body elections.

Despite a significant dip in its overall vote share in the local body polls, an internal BJP assessment suggests that the party demonstrated strength in 34 Assembly segments. The BJP secured over 40,000 votes in nine constituencies — Nemom, Kattakkada, Kazhakkoottam, Chengannur, Malampuzha, Elathur, Kasaragod, Manjeshwaram and Aroor. In five of these constituencies, the tally crossed the 45,000 mark.

The party also garnered between 35,000 and 40,000 votes in 12 constituencies — Kovalam, Vattiyoorkavu, Parassala, Chirayinkeezhu, Kottarakkara, Puthukkad, Irinjalakuda, Kodungallur, Nattika, Ottappalam, Palakkad and Mavelikkara. In another 13 constituencies — Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal, Kunnathur, Aranmula, Karunagappally, Kundara, Chelakkara, Wadakkanchery, Manalur, Shornur, Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode North and Nenmara — the party secured between 30,000 and 35,000 votes. Notably, the BJP emerged on top in Nemom and Vattiyoorkavu.

The BJP attributes this performance to its strategy of assigning senior leaders to specific constituencies during the local body elections, with a view to identifying Assembly seats. These leaders have been asked to continue their work in their respective regions. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and senior leader V Muraleedharan have already indicated that they will contest from Nemom and Kazhakkoottam respectively.