Tiruvalla (Kerala): Placing women’s political empowerment at the heart of his campaign pitch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday underscored the Centre’s commitment to the Women’s Reservation Bill, asserting that 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures would become a reality and be reflected in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a mammoth NDA rally in Tiruvalla, PM Modi said Parliament would take up discussions on the Bill from April 16 to 18 and called for unanimous support, urging opposition parties to participate constructively.
Dismissing concerns over delimitation, the Prime Minister clarified that not a single Lok Sabha seat in Kerala or Tamil Nadu would be reduced, countering what he termed “rumours” being spread to create apprehension among voters.
Arriving in Kochi and travelling by helicopter to Changanassery before driving to Tiruvalla, the Prime Minister said the scale of public response along the route was striking.
“There was no roadshow, yet the turnout was larger than one,” he said, describing the crowds as forming a “human chain” on either side of the road.
Framing women’s welfare as a cornerstone of his government’s policies, PM Modi highlighted initiatives aimed at improving quality of life, including housing, drinking water access, and a proposed free cancer vaccine programme for teenage girls.
He said such schemes would gain further momentum in Kerala under a “double-engine” NDA government.
Turning to governance, the Prime Minister criticised both the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), accusing them of alternating in power without delivering tangible development.
Despite Kerala’s natural advantages in sectors such as tourism and the blue economy, the state continues to lag behind, he said.
He pointed to inadequate infrastructure, citing poor roads, a lack of major bridges, and deficiencies at Kottayam Medical College.
PM Modi asserted that the Centre had extended strong financial backing to Kerala, claiming allocations were five times higher than those under previous Congress-led governments.
He also highlighted Rs 13,000 crore in support for farmers, including rubber growers.
Citing rapid development in Christian-majority northeastern states and Goa under NDA rule, PM Modi expressed confidence that Kerala would follow a similar trajectory.
Warning that corruption, communalism, and rising youth migration were holding the state back, PM Modi urged voters to reject both traditional fronts, pitching the NDA as the vehicle for transformative growth anchored in inclusive policies and women-led development.
(IANS)
