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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the accused in the Sabarimala temple gold smuggling case would be jailed if the NDA forms the next government in Keralam.
Addressing a public rally in Kattakada, Shah said that people in Keralam have repeatedly voted for both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), but neither has ensured development or reduced corruption. "This time we are going to form the government. Keralam has seen both groups. Sometimes you have removed UDF and brought LDF, sometimes removed LDF and brought UDF, but no one has done well for Keralam. Whosoever came indulged in corruption. I assure all of you that if you form the NDA government, the accused in the Sabarimala temple gold case will be put behind bars. Prime Minister Modi's vision is of a government without corruption and development without vote-bank politics. We are in politics to place Bharat Mata at the highest pedestal," Shah said. He further alleged that Congress and Communist parties work together outside the state but act as rivals in Keralam. "Congress and Communist are allies in the rest of India, but in Keralam they stage a rivalry only to mislead the people and grab power. In other parts of India, Congress and Communist are allied parties, but in Keralam, they pretend to be rivals just to deceive the people and seize power," he said. Earlier in the day, Shah criticised the LDF government during a public meeting in Kunnathunadu constituency in Ernakulam district. He said the upcoming Assembly elections are about the future of the state, not just a change in government. "This election is not the election to remove the LDF government and bring the NDA government, but this election is for the future of Keralam. The first state in India to become fully literate was Keralam. The youth here are educated and intelligent, but they do not have jobs," he said. He added that the NDA wants to create job opportunities within the state so that young people do not have to move abroad for work. "We want to build such a Keralam where the youth of Keralam get jobs right here and do not need to go to other Gulf countries. Now, change is coming across the entire world. The Communist Party is being wiped out all over the world and the Congress is being wiped out across the country. Today, the entire country is moving forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 14% of the votes from Keralam went to the NDA. Now it's time to form an NDA government here," he said. Shah also criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, accusing the state government of taking credit for schemes funded by the Centre. "Prime Minister Modi sends 5 kilograms of rice for every poor person, but here the Communist Party sets up a cart. The entire 100% cost of National Highway 66 is being borne by Prime Minister Modi, but there are huge posters of Keralam Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan put up. For the National Health Mission, Prime Minister Modi sends Rs 600 crore, but since there is no space to put up photos, so the National Health Mission has been shut down here. Rahul Gandhi came yesterday and said that petrol prices have gone up, and petrol prices have indeed risen to Rs 460 per litre, but this is not in Kerala but in Pakistan," he said. Polling for the 2026 Keralam Legislative Assembly elections will take place on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4. The current Assembly term ends on May 23. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is trying to unseat the CPI(M)-led LDF government. The LDF has been in power in the state for around a decade. Around 2.7 crore voters are expected to take part in the election. The final electoral roll, released on February 21, includes 2,69,53,644 voters -- 1,31,26,048 male voters, 1,38,27,319 female voters, and 227 third-gender voters. Among them, 4,24,518 are in the 18-19 age group. (ANI)
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