Union minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the BJP’s final goal was to form a government in Kerala under the lotus symbol and bring a BJP chief minister, sounding the bugle for the Assembly elections days after winning the prestigious Thiruvananthapuram corporation.
Addressing the newly elected BJP representatives of local bodies in the state and inaugurating the party’s Mission 2026 programme, Shah said the “path to Viksit Bharat passes through Viksit Kerala”.
“Only the BJP can bring in change in the political milieu of the state. When it comes to corruption practices, both the LDF and the UDF are engaged in match fixing,” he said.
Raising the Sabarimala gold theft case to target chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his government, Shah said those who failed to protect the properties of the hill shrine could not safeguard the faith of the people. “The gold theft at Sabarimala was not just a concern of people in Kerala alone, but for people across the country,” he said.
Shah said he had seen the FIR in the case and alleged that the manner in which it was drafted made it clear that it was aimed at protecting the accused.
He challenged Vijayan to direct a CBI probe into the case. “I demand that the chief minister hand over the probe to a neutral investigation agency. The BJP will carry out protests and door-to-door awareness campaigns. This is a democracy, Vijayan, and you must order a probe by a neutral agency,” Shah said.
His statement came two days after Sabarimala tantri (priest) Kandararu Rajeevaru was arrested by the special investigation team set up by Kerala High Court in connection with the case.