PM Backed Growth, State Created Hurdles
Stressing on the developmental plank under the leadership Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said, “Keralam is amongst the four states shortlisted for developing a dedicated rare earth corridor.”
Fadnavis on Thursday embarked on a day-long campaign, holding public meetings and roadshows at Varkala and Attingal for the assembly elections in Keralam.
“It was said those who had oil ruled the world. But today, the scenario has changed. One who owns rare earth rules the world.” Rare earth is necessary for semiconductors, mobile phones and technology driven essentials.
Exuding confidence of BJP’s success, Fadnavis noted, “There was a time when BJP would contest elections to lose in Keralam. Now, the change is visible.” At present BJP has a member in parliament, a mayor, two municipal chairpersons, 32 panchayats heads and over 600 corporators in the state.
For the past 10 years, the BJP governments in Tripura and Assam have been working effectively. After visiting West Bengal, Fadnavis said, “I can confidently say that this time BJP will form the government there as well. Now all eyes are on Keralam. Both the LDF government and UDF government have failed the people. The state which has taken a leadership role in education is unfortunately lagging because of rampant unemployment.”
“The Prime Minister has consistently tried to support Keralam on a large scale, but the state government has created obstacles and attempted to hinder development initiatives. The Vizhinjam International Seaport has seen a rapid increase in container traffic. The project had been delayed for many years due to the state government, but operations began in 2024. The port is now ranked 83rd globally among international seaports, and in the coming five years, traffic is expected to increase significantly. He emphasised that this growth will greatly benefit Keralam and lead to large-scale employment generation in the state.”
Fadnavis noted that bunkering facilities were being strengthened in Keralam along with the expansion of Railway infrastructure, with the Union Government envisioning transformative projects such as a dedicated logistics park to boost the state’s connectivity and economic potential. He added that under the Bharatmala Project, major highway expansion initiatives were underway in addition to improving north-south connectivity and integrating critical routes such as National Highway 66 with emerging infrastructure networks. HE said this will significantly boost Kerala’s industrial growth, tourism, and overall economic landscape.
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He said despite global uncertainties and geopolitical tensions involving regions such as the Gulf and countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and South Korea, as well as several European nations, India has managed well. “There was not a day of lock down,” Fadnavis said.
He pointed to instances of corruption and protection of wrongdoers, arguing, “corrupt CPI leaders have proximity to Congress’s Sonia Gandhi and demanded that if there is true commitment to transparency, such cases should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation for an impartial probe.”
Fadnavis said that direct interaction with nearly 2,000 residents during the journey significantly boosted confidence. He said a large section of the population, including traditional supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress, expressed a clear desire for change in Attingal. He emphasised that this growing sentiment must now be converted into votes through intensified door-to-door outreach in the final days of campaigning.
“The opposition appears uncertain and disorganised, while BJP Karyakartas are motivated by strong past performance and ground-level support, expressing confidence that continued efforts at the grassroots will lead to electoral success,” he said.
