Election Buzz: PM Modi’s Mega Rally Energizes Palakkad

In Palakkad, Kerala, the BJP-led NDA is emphasizing the significance of Kerala in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi orchestrated a grand procession on Tuesday to rally support for NDA contenders from the state, where the saffron party has historically struggled to secure substantial electoral triumphs.

The Prime Minister’s procession, featuring Modi standing atop a lavishly adorned open-roofed vehicle, commenced around 10:45 am from Kottamaidan Anchuvilakku and proceeded towards the Head Post Office in the town. Modi arrived via helicopter from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

Accompanying Modi on the open-roofed vehicle were BJP state president K Surendran and NDA contenders C Krishnakumar, vying for the Palakkad constituency, and Niveditha Subramanian, contesting in the Ponnani seat. Despite the blistering sun, throngs of people, including BJP supporters bearing flowers, garlands, party flags, placards featuring Modi, and adorned with party headgear, lined both sides of the approximately one-kilometer route of the procession.

As the procession advanced along the route, chants of ‘Modi’, ‘Bharat mata ki jai’, ‘Modiji swagatam’, and ‘Modi ki jai’ resounded from the assembled crowd. They also showered petals upon Modi, who sported a Nehru cap in the saffron hue emblematic of his party.

In return for the warm reception, the Prime Minister reciprocated by showering flowers upon the crowd lining both sides of the route on multiple occasions. Undeterred by the sweltering temperatures, multitudes of all ages had gathered hours before the Prime Minister’s arrival, imbuing the atmosphere with a festive spirit along the procession route.

Numerous individuals, many accompanied by their families, expressed their determination to see Modi before departing. The procession traversed the approximately one-kilometer route in roughly half an hour, following which the Prime Minister promptly returned to the helipad. Modi’s Palakkad procession follows his recent participation in a public gathering in Pathanamthitta town on March 15, where he rallied support for NDA candidates vying for seats in southern Kerala constituencies.

Addressing the gathering in Pathanamthitta, the Prime Minister proclaimed that “The Lotus is going to bloom in Kerala” in the impending Lok Sabha elections, while lambasting the ruling Left and the opposition Congress-led UDF, alleging that the people of the state have endured hardships under administrations riddled with corruption and incompetence.

The BJP has witnessed an uptick in its vote share from the Palakkad constituency in the Lok Sabha elections, with its candidate Krishnakumar C securing 21.24 percent of the total votes cast in 2019. This marks Modi’s fifth visit to the state within three months, having previously visited twice in January, once in February, and then on March 15. These visits encompassed both official engagements and party functions.