BJP will replicate Tripura in Kerala: Modi

Inaugurating the "Vijay Sankalp Rally" of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at Calicut beach here on Friday evening, Mr Modi said if Tripura is of any pointer, the same is going to repeat in Kerala.

"BJP had no big presence there but it was still elected to power with huge majority. This will repeat in Kerala with the BJP dominating," Mr Modi said.

The Prime Minister promised the people to save their interests on both culture and economy. He pointed out that since BJP came to power in 2014 scams cases like Tughlaq Road Chunav Ghotala are being seriously taken.

"Kerala's culture is being damaged by the Communists and Congress. Both UDF and LDF are one and the same and nothing but name differ," he said.

Saying that some people with vested interests were trying to destroy age-old traditions and cultural heritage under the disguise of a Supreme Court order, he said: "The BJP will fight against this and protect the religious and conventional believes."

The BJP state President P S Sreedharan Pillai, party leaders V Muraleedharan, MP, M T Ramesh and P K Krishnadas were among the BJP leaders who were present at the meeting.

Tens of thousands of BJP workers and supporters of the NDA thronged the Calicut beach as part of the rally organised by the NDA to mark the high-profile election campaigning in Kerala.

The arrival of Mr Modi has special significance as the candidacy of AICC President Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad has rejuvenated and electrified the election trail in the state.

National leaders of the Congress are lined up to make it to Kerala to campaign for Mr Gandhi. No wonder, the BJP has also escalated its campaign pitch with national leaders to address election meetings of the NDA in the coming days.

The NDA candidates of North Kerala - Raveesa Thantri (Kasaragod), C K Padmanabhan (Kannur), V K Sajevan (Vatakara), Prakash Babu (Kozhikode), Thushar Vellappally (Wayanad), Unnikishnan Master (Malappuram) and V T Rema (Ponnani) attended the rally.