Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to undertake a one-day visit to Kerala on March 11 as political activity intensifies ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. His itinerary includes multiple public engagements in Kochi, which is recognized as Kerala’s largest urban center as well as its primary financial and commercial hub. The visit comes shortly after the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to officially rename the state from “Kerala” to “Keralam,” a decision that has drawn considerable public and political attention.
During his stay in Kochi, the Prime Minister is expected to participate in three major programs. One of the key engagements includes his presence at the All Kerala Dheevara Conference, which will be held at the city’s prominent Marine Drive venue. In addition, he will formally inaugurate several railway development projects aimed at improving regional connectivity and strengthening transportation infrastructure. Later in the day, he is scheduled to address a large-scale public rally organized by the National Democratic Alliance at Kaloor Stadium in the evening hours. Before the rally begins, he is also likely to take part in a brief roadshow through selected routes in the city. Event organizers anticipate a crowd of more than 40,000 supporters attending the rally, reflecting the political significance of the visit.
This trip will mark the Prime Minister’s first visit to Kerala since the Union Cabinet’s decision on February 25 approving the renaming of the southern state to “Keralam.” The cabinet’s approval followed a resolution that had been unanimously passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in June 2024. Through that resolution, the state government had formally urged the central government to grant official recognition to the traditional name.
On his previous visit to Kerala, the Prime Minister had undertaken several developmental initiatives. He laid the foundation stone for the CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology’s Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub, a project intended to promote advanced research and startup development. He also initiated the establishment of a modern Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram to enhance specialized healthcare services. In addition, he flagged off four new train services to improve rail connectivity and launched the PM SVANidhi Credit Card scheme, a financial inclusion initiative designed to support street vendors with easier access to credit facilities.
Kerala is scheduled to go to the polls during the April–May election cycle, voting alongside Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry, and West Bengal. At present, the Bharatiya Janata Party does not hold any seats in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. Despite this, the party achieved a significant milestone in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when Malayalam film actor Suresh Gopi secured victory from the Thrissur parliamentary constituency by a margin exceeding 74,000 votes. That win marked the BJP’s first-ever Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, a state that has historically been dominated by the Congress-led and Left Front political alliances.
