BJP national prez Nitin Nabin pledges 'Viksit Kerala', demands accountability for Sabarimala scam in run-up to polls

Kochi: Signalling a major shift in the state’s political landscape, BJP national president Nitin Nabin kicked off his high-stakes Kerala visit on Friday with a clarion call to dismantle the long-standing LDF-UDF duopoly in the state.

In a whirlwind of activity that spanned from massive grassroots rallies to high-level strategic meetings in Kochi, Nabin declared that the "era of alternating misrule" is nearing its end, placing the party on a rigorous 90-day warfooting ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Nabin, who landed at Kochi airport in the afternoon, was given a grand reception with hundreds of workers. Most state leaders were present at the airport to welcome him.

Addressing a massive convention of nearly 6,000 booth presidents from Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts at Angamaly later, Nabin launched a scathing attack on the state's traditional political fronts.

"Kerala's development has been held hostage for decades by the corruption and appeasement politics of the LDF and UDF. Our youth, who should have been the architects of a 'Viksit Kerala,' are now forced to flee abroad for education and jobs because these two fronts failed them," Nabin said.

A central theme of Nabin's address was dedicated to religious sentiments and he spoke about the protection of Sanatana Dharma. He accused the UDF of aligning with extremist organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami and the Muslim League, alleging they have even obstructed Ramayana recitals. Turning his fire toward the Left, he claimed the LDF has systematically attempted to destroy the faith of believers, specifically referencing the Sabarimala issue.

Nabin demanded accountability for the alleged gold theft at Sabarimala, vowing that the BJP would spearhead intense protests to ensure the culprits are punished. "The believers of Kerala are ready to sacrifice their lives to protect their faith from those who seek to destroy it," he said.

The visit also served as a major show of unity for the expanded National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Nabin held crucial discussions with key allies, including Sabu M Jacob (Twenty20), Thushar Vellappally (BDJS), Thamarakshan (JSS), Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan (Kamaraj Congress) and Harikumar (Shiv Sena)

Following the alliance talks, Nabin visited the RSS State Headquarters in Elamakkara. This meeting with senior RSS functionaries is viewed as a strategic move to ensure total coordination between the Sangh’s grassroots network and the BJP's electoral machinery.

In a late-night meeting at a hotel in Palarivattom with state office-bearers and election Prabharis, Nabin issued a clear directive that the next 90 days must be dedicated entirely to ground-level electioneering. He urged the leadership to expose the "shadow alliance" between the Congress and the CPM, characterising the Congress's stance on Sabarimala as a "drama" played solely for votes.

The high-level meeting, presided over by state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, saw the attendance of Union Ministers Shobha Karandlaje and George Kurian, state in-charge Prakash Javadekar, national secretary Vinod Tawde, and a host of senior leaders, including K Surendran, V Muraleedharan, and Kummanam Rajasekharan.