Nitin Nabin Begins Kerala Campaign, Targets LDF–UDF Over Governance Failure

BJP president Nitin Nabin launched the party’s election campaign in poll-bound Kerala this week, stressing development and justice as central themes. Nabin reiterated that the BJP will “fight fully on the Sabarimala issue” and bring justice in the ongoing gold loss controversy, accusing both the ruling and opposition fronts of mishandling it. In recent weeks, a Special Investigation Team probing missing gold from the Sabarimala shrine has led to arrests and high-profile questioning, though key accused have secured statutory bail .

Nabin arrived in Kochi on February 6 for a two-day strategic visit to energise the BJP’s organisational base ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls, covering Kochi, Ernakulam and Thrissur . During extensive meetings with party workers and alliance partners, he reviewed election preparedness, prioritised key constituencies and emphasised booth-level mobilisation as the foundation for electoral success.

In speeches across the state, Nabin sharply criticised both the United Democratic Front and Left Democratic Front for allegedly blocking Kerala’s progress and failing to address broader concerns on jobs, education and cultural identity. He stressed that the BJP’s campaign — under the slogan Vikasitha Kerala would combine development promises with cultural respect and justice for believers.

Party sources say Nabin’s Kerala visit is part of a broader southern outreach strategy by the BJP leadership this election cycle. Since taking over as national president in January, he has toured other poll-relevant regions including West Bengal and Assam , and was expected to also focus on Tamil Nadu next, where Assembly elections are also approaching and the BJP is aiming to expand its footprint against well-entrenched regional parties.

Political observers note that the BJP is increasingly treating its southern campaign as a proving ground for organisational strength, with performance in Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu seen as indicators of its ability to challenge dominant regional fronts.