Addressing a rally in poll-bound Kerala’s Thiruvalla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sharpened his attack on both the Left and the Congress as he sought to frame the contest around a “B team vs A team” narrative.
Taking a dig at the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), Modi said both parties call each other BJP’s “B team” because they both know the saffron party is the true A team of Kerala.
“The Left calls Congress the BJP’s B team. Congress calls the Left the BJP’s B team.” They say it because they know the truth. If there’s one A team in Keralam, it is the BJP,” Modi quipped.
His remarks came after both the Congress and the Left accused each other of being the “B team” of BJP.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan is “compromised” and that is why many Opposition leaders except him were questioned by any central agencies.
In response, CM Vijayan had accused the Congress leader and his party of acting as the “B team” of the BJP.
‘Congress risking Indians’ safety in Middle East’
PM Modi also launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the party of making statements that could harm India’s ties with Gulf nations and endanger the lives of Indians working in the region amid the ongoing conflict.
“Congress is making statements that risk straining India’s relations with West Asian countries, creating unnecessary panic. This is being done only for political attacks on Modi,” he alleged.
Modi said that Indian fishermen from Kerala and several other coastal states are currently stranded in Iran and other parts of the Middle East due to the conflict and that his government is trying to bring them back safely.
However, he alleged, the Congress doesn’t care about this. “The only thing they care about is politics and power. The Congress does not care about the people of India. They should apologise to the nation.”
The PM further asserted that the conflict in West Asia has exposed the mindset of Congress and its allies. “Lakhs of Keralam residents work in the region, yet irresponsible statements by Congress leaders risk their safety,” he said, urging Congress leaders to refrain from making remarks that could endanger Indians living in the Middle East.
In a message to the LDF and UDF, Modi said that elections will come and go but the safety of Indians, especially those from Keralam in the Middle East, is his top priority.
‘Kerala needs development, not corruption and communal politics’
Shifting his focus to state politics, Modi accused both the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) of neglecting Kerala’s development during their rule at the Centre.
He claimed that the central grant for the state has increased five fold during his tenure compared to what it was when the Congress-led UPA was in power.
“Keralam faces a serious challenge, with youth leaving the state in search of work. Keralam needs jobs, strong industry, growth in the service sector, value for skills, and support for startups,” he said.
“But the biggest barriers remain corruption and communal politics. Keralam can only move forward when these obstacles are removed.”
“For that, both the LDF and the UDF must be defeated,” he added.