HM Amit Shah Dares BJP To Claim Kerala; Sets Sights On First Saffron Chief Minister

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday delivered a high-voltage political message in Thiruvananthapuram, urging Bharatiya Janata Party cadres to envision and work toward installing the party’s first Chief Minister in Kerala.

Speaking at a convention of newly elected BJP and NDA representatives, HM Amit Shah struck an assertive tone, framing recent electoral setbacks as stepping stones rather than roadblocks.

HM Amit Shah addressed party workers at Kowdiar even as the 2025 local body election results underscored the BJP’s uphill task in the state.

He reminded cadres that during his July 2025 visit, he had set a clear benchmark of securing at least 25 per cent vote share in the local polls as a launchpad for the 2026 Assembly elections.

The party eventually secured 14.80 per cent, but HM Amit Shah insisted that the outcome did not dilute the BJP’s long-term ambition.

Highlighting the party’s mayoral victory in Thiruvananthapuram as a symbolic breakthrough, HM Amit Shah linked politics with faith by recalling his visit earlier in the day to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

He said he had vowed to offer prayers there if the BJP captured the mayor’s post in the state capital, a remark that drew loud applause and renewed enthusiasm from party workers.

Ambition, Resolve & 2026 Push

HM Amit Shah asserted that the mayoral win marked only the beginning of the BJP’s journey in Kerala. He said the party’s mission would reach fulfilment only when Kerala elected a BJP Chief Minister.

To reinforce confidence, he cited the party’s steady rise in Lok Sabha vote share, from 11 per cent in 2014 to 20 per cent in 2024, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the momentum.

Acknowledging the challenge of converting parliamentary gains into Assembly success, HM Amit Shah nevertheless projected an aggressive trajectory.

He said the BJP would push its vote share from 20 to 30 and then to 40 per cent within 2026, citing the party’s rapid rise in states like Assam and Uttar Pradesh as proof of its political expansion capability.

HM Amit Shah anchored the BJP’s Kerala strategy on development, security, and protection of faith. He accused both the LDF and UDF of economic stagnation, weak action against extremist forces, and failure to safeguard religious institutions.

Launching a sharp attack on the Left and Congress, he declared that communism was fading globally and the Congress was steadily shrinking nationally.

As Kerala heads toward the 2026 Assembly polls, HM Amit Shah’s call injected fresh energy into the BJP ranks, even as electoral arithmetic continues to pose a formidable challenge.

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