Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking in Thiruvananthapuram, urged Kerala BJP workers to aspire to see the party’s first Chief Minister in the state. Despite falling short of the electoral target set before the 2026 Assembly elections, Shah remained optimistic, addressing BJP and NDA representatives at a convention center in Kowdiar. The results of the 2025 local body elections revealed the challenging path ahead for the BJP in Kerala.
During his visit on July 12, 2025, Shah had emphasized that winning the 2026 Secretariat would involve success in the local body polls, aiming for a minimum of 25% vote share. However, the BJP secured only 14.80% in the local elections, notably winning the mayoral post in Thiruvananthapuram. Shah turned this victory into a symbolic moment, referencing his visit to the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple earlier in the day.
Stressing that the mayoral win was just a starting point, Shah reiterated the BJP’s larger goal of having a Chief Minister in Kerala. He pointed out the party’s increasing vote share in the state’s Lok Sabha elections over the years, attributing this trend to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Looking ahead to 2026, Shah outlined an ambitious plan to further enhance the BJP’s presence in Kerala.
