KOCHIN, April 1: Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a fierce attack on Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) while campaigning in Paravur ahead of the Assembly elections on April 9.
Singh claimed that “God was not secure” in Kerala, citing the Sabarimala gold loss cases, and compared the LDF’s actions to Judas betraying Jesus, asserting that the Left had betrayed Lord Ayyappa for a few pieces of gold. He promised that a BJP-led government would initiate a time-bound CBI probe into the alleged misappropriation of temple gold.
Singh accused both LDF and UDF of rampant corruption, scams, and obstructing development. He highlighted Kerala’s debt, which he claimed had reached nearly Rs 5 lakh crore under successive Left and Congress administrations, despite central allocations of Rs 1.5 lakh crore from 2014 to 2024. He alleged involvement of LDF leaders in gold smuggling and money laundering, while the UDF was responsible for scams like the solar scam, Palarivattom bridge scandal, and bar bribery cases.
The defence minister also criticized the fronts for law and order failures, pointing to rising cybercrimes, offences against women and children, and drug abuse.
He claimed Kerala had become notorious for violence, with hundreds of RSS and BJP workers killed under Communist rule. Singh alleged that the Congress attempted to mainstream anti-national elements while both fronts promoted appeasement politics and religious extremism, citing incidents like the Munambam land controversy.
Singh highlighted unemployment, lack of development, and poor infrastructure, noting youth migration for jobs and education. He described the BJP as the only “major alternative” to bring change to the state.
Citing past electoral successes, such as Suresh Gopi’s Thrissur Lok Sabha win and the BJP’s Thiruvananthapuram Corporation victory, he said these were only the beginning of the party’s rise. Singh urged voters to reject corruption, appeasement, and lawlessness, restore Kerala to development and good governance, and focus on progress rather than political or religious betrayal. (PTI)
