Close on the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) capturing power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to newly elected Mayor V.V. Rajesh congratulating him and Deputy Mayor G.S. Asha Nath for the historic win in the local body elections.
In a communication to Mr. Rajesh who has become the BJP’s first Mayor in the State, Mr. Modi said the “epoch-making” achievement had brought “immense happiness and pride.”
“It is milestone written in golden letters,” Mr. Modi wrote, adding that it was powered by the blessings of the people of Thiruvananthapuram.
The party’s success in the Kerala capital, he noted, indicated that the people, especially the youth and women, were ready for a “new dawn.”
“The BJP-NDA is emerging as the people’s option, rooted in nationalism without exclusion, development without corruption and governance without appeasement,” he observed.
Mr. Modi, who referenced Sree Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, and Mannathu Padmanabhan, in his message expressed confidence that Mr. Rajesh and his team would take inspiration from the principles advocated by the Kerala reformers and serve the city to the best of their abilities, furthering ‘ease of living’ for the people.
Attacking the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) which had dominated the State’s politics, Mr. Modi said their rule was marked by poor governance, a culture of corruption, and brutal violence. Despite this, BJP workers “raised people’s issues fearlessly, carried the party flag and the ideology of India First courageously.” The party ‘karyakartas’ spoke for the people’s aspiration though it came at a cost, he wrote.
“The fixed match of the LDF and the UDF of being friends in Delhi and ‘rivals’ in Kerala is about to end soon,” he said in the letter that also congratulated all newly elected BJP councillors and karyakartas for the win in the Thiruvananthapuram local body polls.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
