Kerala as dear to me as Varanasi, says Modi at Guruvayur temple

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Kerala to make his first state visit after assuming office for a second consecutive term, despite the fact that it is the only majorly populated state where the BJP drew a blank in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, 2019.

Guruvayur (Kerala): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Kerala, the first state visit made by him after assuming office for a second consecutive term, to thank the public for the massive mandate and said that the South Indian state was as dear to him as his Lok Sabha seat of Varanasi.

Kerala is the only majorly populated state where the Bharatiya Janta Party drew a blank in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, 2019.

“BJP drew a blank in Kerala, you may ask why Modi selected Kerala for his first political speech. Kerala is as important as Varanasi," said PM Modi.

Modi added, "elections have their place in democracy and it is the responsibility of the winner to take care of 130 crore people. Those who made us win or those who did not, both are our (people). Kerala is as dear to me as Varanasi is."

"The BJP was not working for mere electoral politics and was keen on building the country and ensuring India gets its place of pride in the international arena," said Modi.

Terming the just-concluded Lok Sabha election to 542 seats as a "festival of democracy," Modi lauded and thanked the electorate of Kerala for their contribution to it.

The country has seen that "people are God" in elections, he said.

Taking a dig at opposition parties and political pundits, Modi said, "political parties and political pundits could not gauge people's mood. But people gave a strong mandate for the BJP."

Earlier in the day, Modi prayed at the Guruvayur temple, one of the most famous temples in Kerala, and performed the ritual of 'Thulabaram', where he was weighed against hundreds of lotuses, which will then be offered to the temple's main deity, Krishna, as an offering. He was joined by Kerala governor P Sathasivam and top Kerala BJP leader and union minister of state for external affairs, V Muraleedharan.

Modi's visit coincided with that of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was also in Kerala, doing roadshows and thanking people across his constituency of Wayanad.