Shah campaigns in poll-bound Kerala

BJP national president Amit Shah opened the last leg of the party’s election campaign in Kerala by pitching it as an alternative to the state’s traditionally bipolar politics.

Speaking at a public rally in Ranni in Pathanamthitta district, Shah dismissed allegations that BJP was in a secret arrangement with the CPM and was focused on offering a non-Congress, non-Left alternative in the state.

“The repeated electoral swings between the UDF and the LDF have left Kerala trailing in development,” Shah said. Later, speaking at a rally in Manimala in Kottayam district, the BJP president criticised the Congress-led government over its failure to arrest culprits involved in the rape and murder of Dalit law graduate Jisha in Perumbavoor near Kochi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Palakkad on Friday.

Modi will address rallies in Palakkad (May 6), Kasaragod, Kuttanad and Thiruvananthapuram (May 8) and Tripunithura (May 11). All the prominent state leaders of the party are in the fray for the May 16 Assembly election.

BJP chief to send panel to Kerala

Concerned over growing atrocities on Dalit women in poll-bound Kerala, BJP chief Amit Shah has set up a three-member committee to visit Ernakulam, and Varkala to interact with victims’ families, DHNS reports from New Delhi.

The panel comprising party leaders Meenakshi Lekhi, Arjun Meghwal and Udit Raj will be in the state from Saturday till Monday and meet rape victim’s family and submit a fact finding report to Amit Shah.