Modi holds mega roadshow in Palakkad in 5th visit to Kerala in 3 months

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a massive roadshow in Kerala’s Palakkad on Tuesday (March 19) as the BJP seeks to improve its negligible footprint in the southern state this Lok Sabha elections.

The PM’s cavalcade, with Modi standing on an open-roof vehicle heavily decorated with flowers, commenced the roadshow around 10.45 am from Kottamaidan Anchuvilakku and proceeded towards the Head Post Office in the town.

Modi was flanked by BJP state president K Surendran and NDA candidates C Krishnakumar, who is contesting from the Palakkad constituency, and Niveditha Subramanian, who has been fielded in the Ponnani seat.

The PM arrived in Palakkad in a helicopter from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

Flower showers

Braving the scorching sun, thousands of people, including BJP supporters with flowers, garlands, party flags, placards of Modi, and wearing party hats, lined both sides of the 1-km roadshow route.

Slogans of “Modi-Modi”, “Bharat Mata ki jai”, “Modiji swagatam” and “Modi ki jai” were heard from the crowd. They also showered flowers on Modi, who was wearing a Nehru cap in the saffron colour of his party.

Reciprocating the welcome, the PM also showered flowers on the people several times.

Several people, many of whom arrived with their families, told TV channels that they would not leave without seeing Modi.

The roadshow covered the route in about half an hour after which the PM quickly returned to the helipad.

Fifth visit in three months

Modi’s Palakkad roadshow follows his recent participation at a public meeting in Pathanamthitta town on March 15, where he rallied support for NDA candidates contesting in the southern Kerala constituencies.

Addressing the gathering in Pathanamthitta, the Prime Minister had said “the lotus is going to bloom in Kerala” in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, “lotus” referring to the BJP poll symbol.

He attacked the ruling Left Front and the opposition Congress-led UDF, alleging that the people of the state have endured hardship under governments plagued by corruption and incompetence.

The BJP has seen an increase in its vote share from the Palakkad constituency in the Lok Sabha polls with its candidate Krishnakumar C securing 21.24 per cent of the total votes polled from here in the 2019 general elections.

This is Modi’s fifth visit to the state within three months. He has already visited the state twice in January, once in February, and then on March 15. These visits included both official and party functions.

(With agency inputs)