Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Unprecedented Outreach to Southern States Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been on an unprecedented outreach to the five southern states in recent weeks, with a focus on winning big in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. From holding roadshows, rallies, and meetings to inaugurating development projects worth thousands of crores, PM Modi has been leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to secure a significant number of seats for the BJP and the NDA.

In the past 10 days alone, PM Modi has visited all five southern states multiple times, addressing public meetings, rallies, and inaugurating projects. From Palakkad in Kerala to Salem in Tamil Nadu, Jagtial in Telangana to Shivamogga in Karnataka, Modi has been crisscrossing the southern states to connect with the voters.

The BJP, which has traditionally not been a strong force in the South, is aiming to change that narrative this time around. With the party winning 29 out of the 129 seats in the five states in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there is a renewed sense of confidence within the party about its prospects in the region.

Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar has expressed confidence that the BJP will emerge as the single largest party in South India, countering claims that the region is “BJP-mukt.” The party has been using technology like machine learning to translate PM Modi’s speeches into different southern languages, in an effort to bridge the language barrier.

Before the Model Code of Conduct kicked in, PM Modi had launched several projects in the southern states and virtually inaugurated projects in these states from other parts of India. From flagging off new trains to launching highway projects, the PM has been on a spree of development initiatives in the region.

With the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, PM Modi’s extensive outreach to the southern states signals the BJP’s determination to make significant inroads in a region where it has traditionally faced challenges. As the campaign heats up, all eyes will be on the South to see how the political landscape unfolds in the coming weeks.