Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala on Wednesday amid the controversy over the participation of Christian religious leaders in the his Christmas banquet.
The prime minister’s main programme during his Kerala visit would be in Thrissur, a constituency the BJP is eying for to make inroads into the southern state.
Prime Minister Modi, who will arrive in Kochi in the afternoon, will proceed to Thrissur soon after. He will reach Kuttanalloor in Thrissur by 2 pm to participate in a one-and-a-half kilometre road show from Swaraj Round to Naikkanal, in the heart of the city.
He will address a mass gathering of women at Thekkinkadu Maidanam in Thrissur.
Nearly two lakh women from different sections of section, Anganwadi teachers, ASHA workers, entrepreneurs, artists, MGNREGA and neighbourhood network workers, and social and cultural activists, are expected to participate in the rally ‘Sthreeshakti Modikkoppam’ scheduled to be held at 3 pm.
The rally is being organised by the Kerala unit of the BJP to congratulate Modi for successfully passing the Women’s Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament.
Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, who is expected to be BJP’s candidate for the Lok Sabha election from Thrissur, will be present on the stage with the prime minister. Though the programme is planned as a mass meeting of women, it is being viewed as the official launch of the poll campaign by the BJP for the upcoming general elections in its attempt to make political inroads in Kerala.
The saffron party is eying the Christian community of Kerala. It has held a series of outreach programmes in the state during Easter and Christmas. Prime Minister Modi hosted bishops and prominent persons from Christian communities at his official residence for Christmas lunch.
The BJP believes that the PM’s visit on Wednesday, will give the much-needed boost to the party’s preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.