NDA begins state-wide 'padayatra' in Kerala ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Kasaragod (Kerala), Jan 27 (PTI) The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is trying to make significant inroads into Kerala politics, kick-started it's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls by launching a massive footmarch in this northernmost district on Saturday.

Hundreds of party workers and leaders gathered at the Thalippadupu ground here in the evening for the inaugural ceremony of the state-wide march, led by BJP Kerala unit chief K Surendran.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, NDA state convenor Thushar Vellapally and NDA vice-president P K Krishnadas were among the prominent leaders who attended the huge gathering of party workers.

Inaugurating the event, Sawant said Kerala would witness a change in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and "lotus will bloom in the state".

"Response of karyakartas and people are positive," he said.

Terming the footmarch as "parivartan yatra," he said for the first time, the state would witness a parivartan (change) during the Lok Sabha polls.

Terming the Left government in the state as "corrupt", he said it should be thrown out and support should be extended to the "padayatra' to accomplish it.

During his speech, Surendran said winning seats and opening the account is not something impossible for the BJP-NDA in Kerala.

"The BJP-led NDA is the only political front which has complete confidence to win and come back to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, at the national level" he said.

Referring to the ruling CPI (M) and opposition Congress, he said the saffron party was fighting two members of the INDIA alliance in Kerala.

Listing out various development and welfare projects implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he further exuded confidence that the BJP-NDA government would come back to power with a huge majority.

While addressing a press conference here earlier in the day, Surendran said that both the ruling CPI (M)-led LDF and Congress-headed UDF were united when it comes to corruption.

The objective of the "NDA Kerala Padayatra" is to expose their corrupt practices and anti-people policies and garner public support to fight them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee is to ensure the security and well-being of 140 crore people in the country, he said adding that only Modi can save the southern state which has been "destroyed" by the two fronts, referring to the LDF and UDF.

The BJP leadership has already made it clear that the primary objective of the campaign is to seek support from the people in a state where opposition parties hold sway before Lok Sabha polls.

The foot march would pass through Lok Sabha constituencies in various districts before culminating in Palakkad on February 27.

Surendran would meet religious and social leaders and cultural icons during the journey and interact with the beneficiaries of various Central schemes.

The padayatra would cover Kottayam, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram constituencies on February 9, 10 and 12 respectively and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would inaugurate the march in the state capital, it said.

At least 25,000 people, including those who have made their mark in different fields, would take part in the march in each constituency.

Besides the exhibition of tableaux featuring various schemes implemented by the Narendra Modi government, the march would also witness the release of the development document of the NDA, the statement added.

The march comes amid renewed enthusiasm among party workers, following two consecutive trips by PM Modi to the southern state where he held two massive road shows -- one in Thrissur and another in Kochi -- early this month.

Addressing a conclave of women in Thrissur, Modi sounded the poll bugle for the saffron party in the state by highlighting the implementation of promises he had guaranteed.

Despite efforts since the 1980s, the BJP is yet to make significant inroads into the state's politics, which is dominated by the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-headed LDF. PTI