LDF govt 'betrayed' people of Kerala just as Judas did to Lord Jesus: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday stepped up his party BJP’s attacks on Kerala’s Left regime, saying it had “betrayed” the southern state “for a few pieces of gold like Judas betrayed Jesus Christ for a few pieces of silver”.

Modi's remarks, at his first election rally in Kerala in Palakkad, were in continuation of the party's campaign against chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his government over the seizure of 30 kg of gold from a consignment addressed to the UAE consulate at the Thiruvananthapuram airport in July last year.

The BJP has consistently been pointing accusatory fingers at the LDF regime in the case as part of its electoral strategy to defeat the CPI(M).


The Prime Minister attacked Vijayan referring to the way his administration, he said, used police to beat up the devotees of Lord Ayyappa in 2018, after an apex court ruling paved the way for the entry of women of all ages into the famous temple. While the BJP took up the cause of protecting the traditions of Kerala, the Opposition UDF remained quiet as the police beat up devotees, Modi said.

The Prime Minister called Kerala's regime alternating between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF as a "friendly agreement" between the two political combines, which he said, had been the "worst kept secret of Kerala politics" for many years.

"Now, the first time, the voter of Kerala is asking — what is this match fixing," he said.

The BJP’s vision for Kerala, Modi said, was forward looking and aspirational.

The youth of Kerala were openly supporting the BJP, he said. “Across India too, this trend is being seen. People from all walks of life are able to connect BJP’s vision for nation’s growth.”

Over the last few years, the politics of Kerala is seeing a major shift. This shift is being driven by the aspirations of the youth, especially the first-time voter, the PM said.

‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan is contesting the April 6 assembly polls on a BJP ticket from Palakkad.