Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram before January 24 to officially kick off ‘Mission 2026,’ the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ambitious roadmap for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. This visit follows through on a campaign promise to unveil a massive development blueprint for the capital within 45 days of the party taking control of the city corporation. By merging this development launch with the start of the state-wide election campaign, the national leadership is signaling that it views its recent municipal breakthrough as a critical springboard for the 2026 polls.
The BJP is moving with unusual speed for the region, aiming to finalise candidates for 34 key Assembly constituencies by the second week of January. While the party’s overall vote share saw a dip in the recent local body elections, an internal deep-dive into the numbers suggests a strong foundation in these specific segments.
The party was able to breach the 40,000 mark in nine Assembly constituencies, including Nemom, Kazhakkoottam, and Kasaragod, and was very close with a count between 30,000 and 40,000 in another 25, including Vattiyoorkavu, Palakkad, and Kozhikode North. Most importantly, the BJP has won the Nemom and Vattiyoorkavu Assembly segments in the local body elections, which is very encouraging and gives a strong signal that these seats are set to become theirs.
This aggressive early start is part of a calculated strategy where senior leaders were embedded in specific constituencies months ago to act as "anchors." Those leaders have now been told to stay put and double down on their local presence. The high-stakes nature of the campaign is already clear from the likely candidate list: State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar is set to contest from Nemom, while senior leader V Muraleedharan is expected to return to Kazhakkoottam. By launching the 'Vikasit Kerala' (Developed Kerala) programme alongside the Prime Minister’s visit, the BJP hopes for a development-focused agenda.
Also read: Cong plans 50 pc seats for women, youth in Kerala assembly polls
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