BJP's 'Mission Kerala': Inside Amit Shah's three-point blueprint for party ahead of polls

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a meeting with the newly elected BJP representatives of local bodies in Thiruvananthapuram. (X/@AmitShah)

• Amit Shah unveils BJP's 'Mission Keralam 2026' to expand in Kerala
• BJP's vote share in Kerala rose from 11% in 2014 to nearly 20% in 2024
• BJP won Thrissur Lok Sabha seat and Thiruvananthapuram mayor post

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday signalled an aggressive push by the Bharatiya Janata Party to expand its footprint in Kerala and cited the party's recent gains in local body elections as proof of the beginning of its journey towards forming its first-ever government in the Communist-ruled state in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Addressing newly elected BJP representatives in local bodies, Shah said the party's growing vote share and organisational expansion indicated that Kerala was no longer immune to the BJP's rise.

"Today, the BJP has a mayor in Thiruvananthapuram. Tomorrow, there will be a BJP chief minister in Kerala. Our victory was a result of the sacrifice of hundreds of party workers. I dedicate this win to the families of the hundreds of balidani (martyrs) and workers who are in jail," Shah said.

Highlighting the steady increase in the BJP's vote share in the state over the past decade, Shah argued that the trend reflected a structural shift in Kerala's politics.

"From 11 per cent in 2014, our vote share increased to 16 per cent in 2019 and to 20 per cent in 2024. Reaching 30 or 40 per cent is not far away. That will happen in 2026 itself," he said.

The Home Minister claimed that the BJP's gains were no longer confined to urban pockets. In the recent local body elections, the party won two municipalities, secured control of 30 village panchayats, and finished second in 79 others, a performance party leaders see as evidence of grassroots consolidation.

'Mission Keralam 2026'

During his address, Shah formally unveiled the BJP's election roadmap for the state, titled "Mission Keralam 2026". The three-point agenda focuses on "Viksit Kerala, safe Kerala and protection of faith".

Party leaders see the agenda as a reflection of the BJP's attempt to break the long-standing bipolar political structure dominated by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), while appealing to sections that feel alienated by what the BJP sees as decades of political stagnation.

Sabarimala and the political messaging

Shah placed particular emphasis on issues linked to religious faith, especially the alleged gold theft from the Sabarimala temple, using it to target both the ruling LDF and the Opposition UDF.

"If anyone can protect faith in Kerala, only the BJP can," Shah said, alleging that neither of the two traditional alliances had the credibility to address the issue.

Calling the alleged theft a matter of national concern, Shah questioned Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's willingness to order an impartial probe. "I have seen the FIRs, and it has clauses meant to protect two ministers. UDF leaders were also seen with the accused in photographs. The BJP will launch a massive protest seeking an impartial probe," he said.

Addressing the Chief Minister directly, Shah said, "You cannot ensure protection of faith in Kerala. It is time to go out. You cannot come back."

What Kerala means to BJP

For the BJP, Kerala represents more than just another electoral battleground. It is the only large state where the party has struggled to convert vote share gains into Assembly seats, despite sustained organisational investment and repeated central leadership interventions.

A breakthrough in Kerala would carry ideological significance for the BJP, which views the state as the last major stronghold of Left politics in India. Party leaders argue that dismantling the LDF's dominance would symbolically underline the decline of communism in electoral politics, while also challenging the Congress' relevance as an alternative.

Shah's speech also echoed this narrative. "Communist parties have disappeared everywhere in the world, and the Congress regime has ended in India. Only the BJP, led by Narendra Modi, can take Kerala on the path of development."

He accused both the LDF and UDF of engaging in "match-fixing" that had stalled development in the state, alleging that appeasement politics had taken precedence over governance and security.

"Our goal is to make Kerala fully developed, safeguard it from anti-national forces and protect faith. The BJP stands for justice for all," Shah said.

Organisational push

During his visit, Shah also attended a closed-door meeting of the BJP's state core committee, where the party reviewed booth-level preparedness, cadre expansion and campaign strategy for the 2026 Assembly elections. Senior BJP leaders said Shah's direct involvement reflected the importance the central leadership attaches to Kerala and its importance in the party's plans to expand its footprint beyond its traditional strongholds.

The BJP's vote share in Kerala has shown a steady upward trend in recent election cycles. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) improved its vote share in the state to around 19.2 percent, up from about 15.6 percent in 2019, and won the Thrissur parliamentary seat, marking the first Lok Sabha victory for the party in Kerala.

While the BJP remains far behind the dominant United Democratic Front and Left Democratic Front in Assembly contests, it has not yet won a Kerala Legislative Assembly seat. Its vote share in general elections has grown from roughly 10.5 percent in 2014 to 13 percent in 2019 and close to 17 percent in 2024. The party's gains have been seen in north Kerala constituencies such as Dharmadom and Attingal, where its vote share doubled in some areas, and in Thiruvananthapuram, where it recently secured a historic municipal win.