BJP unveils Kerala poll manifesto with big promises

Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Tuesday, unveiled its manifesto for the Kerala Assembly elections, outlining an ambitious mix of infrastructure projects and welfare measures as it seeks to expand its footprint in the state.

Kerala goes to the polls on April 9 to elect 140 new legislators.

The manifesto promises to establish an AIIMS in Kerala, roll out metro rail projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, and implement a high-speed corridor from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur.

Welfare assurances include two free LPG cylinders annually for poor families, 20,000 litres of free drinking water per household every month, and raising welfare pensions to Rs 3,000.

The party has also pledged to reorganise Devaswom Boards and initiate a CBI probe into the Sabarimala gold smuggling case.

The manifesto was released by BJP President Nitin Nabin under the slogan “This is change, this is developed Kerala”.

Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar and other party leaders attended the launch.

The BJP had won its only Assembly seat in 2016 from Nemom through veteran leader O. Rajagopal.

However, in 2021, a keen triangular contest saw V. Sivankutty of the CPI-M regain the Assembly seat.

Sivankutty is now seeking to retain it, while Chandrasekhar was the first person to announce his candidature long before the Assembly polls was announced, signaling the BJP’s intent to reclaim lost political ground.

The BJP’s recent electoral performance presents a mixed picture.

While it finished runner-up in nine Assembly constituencies in 2021, its vote share has shown fluctuating trends.

The BJP’s vote share rose from 12.41 per cent in the 2021 Assembly elections to 15.64 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, aided by a significant victory in Thrissur.

However, the momentum appeared uneven, with the vote share dipping to 14.71 per cent in the 2025 local body elections, despite securing a crucial win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

Nemom remains a key political battleground reflecting the BJP’s shifting poll fortunes in Kerala.

The BJP has pointed to Chandrasekhar’s lead in the Assembly seat during the 2024 Parliamentary election as a sign of potential resurgence, even as it attempts to convert its incremental gains into a decisive breakthrough in the upcoming Assembly polls.

IANS