Thiruvananthapuram: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to formally sound the poll bugle for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala on Sunday, launching the party's campaign for the highly anticipated Assembly elections.
Shah, who arrived in the state capital via a special aircraft on Saturday night, has a packed schedule aimed at galvanizing the party cadre and refining electoral strategy. His itinerary begins with a visit to the historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple to offer special prayers, followed by a series of high-level organizational meetings.
The Home Minister’s primary engagement involves an interaction with newly elected BJP representatives from local self-government institutions. This session is designed to strengthen the party's grassroots machinery. Later, Shah will address a conference of elected representatives at Kowdiar, focusing on booth-level coordination and election preparedness.
A crucial state core committee meeting is scheduled for the afternoon, where Shah will deliberate on candidate selection. Party sources indicate a specific focus on constituencies categorized as "A Plus" and "A," regions where the BJP sees the highest potential for victory. Senior leaders including State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan, K. Surendran, and Shobha Surendran will participate.
Later in the evening, Shah is expected to meet with NDA alliance partners to discuss seat-sharing arrangements. The visit carries added weight as it coincides with the controversy surrounding the Sabarimala gold theft case and the arrest of chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru. Sources suggest that internal deliberations may touch upon the possibility of a central agency probe into the incident.
BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar highlighted the significance of the visit on X, stating, "6 months ago, in July 2025, Amit Shah ji launched BJP/NDA’s #Mission2025 and Kerala witnessed a political turning point in local body elections. Today, he is here to launch #Mission2026 and guide our karyakartas as we prepare for one of the most consequential Assembly elections in Kerala’s history."
In light of the VVIP visit, Thiruvananthapuram city police have implemented extensive traffic restrictions from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Parking is prohibited on key arterial roads, and authorities have advised those travelling to the airport and railway stations to plan their journeys early to avoid delays.
(Inputs from IANS)