Palakkad, March 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, asserted that Kerala is poised to deliver a strong message of political change, addressing a large Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election rally at Kotta Maidanam in Palakkad ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.

Beginning his speech with prayers at the revered Kalpathy temple, Prime Minister Modi said the growing support among Kerala's youth and women reflects a shift in political sentiment in favour of the BJP-led NDA.

"This change is driven by the blessings of the people of Kerala," he added, while paying homage to BJP workers, who lost their lives in political violence.

The Prime Minister praised Palakkad as the "gateway to Kerala's natural beauty" and described it as a land of talent and cultural richness.

He also paid tribute to iconic social reformers and spiritual leaders, including Sree Narayana Guru, Chattampi Swamikal, Mannath Padmanabhan, Ayyankali, and Kuriakose Elias Chavara, acknowledging their lasting contributions to Kerala's social fabric.

Sharpening his political attack, Prime Minister Modi alleged that Kerala is facing a crisis of unemployment and economic mismanagement.

He claimed that in the past decade, the state government had failed to establish industries capable of generating employment for the youth.

He also criticised both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), accusing them of decades of misrule and "vote-bank politics".

"Kerala today is burdened with a debt exceeding Rs 5 lakh crore. The question is -- where has this money gone?" the Prime Minister asked, alleging corruption and financial mismanagement by successive state governments.

Highlighting Palakkad's political history, Prime Minister Modi noted that the Assembly constituency had been represented by the Left and Congress MLAs for decades but had seen little development.

He claimed that visible progress in the region began only after the BJP came to power at the Centre.

Projecting confidence, Prime Minister Modi declared that the NDA is firmly in the race to form the next government in Kerala.

"We (BJP) are committed to building a developed Kerala. This is Modi's guarantee," he said.

In a sharp remark on political rivalries, Prime Minister Modi said both the LDF and UDF accuse each other of being the BJP's "B team", but their common focus on attacking the BJP shows who they truly fear.

He added that an NDA government would investigate alleged corruption involving both the LDF and UDF.

Reiterating his core message, the Prime Minister said, "What has not changed so far will now change -- Kerala will grow."

--IANS

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