Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 12 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), accusing both of being tainted by corruption. Rejecting allegations of the Centre's stepmotherly treatment toward the state, he said the Modi-led government had allocated more funds to Kerala than the previous UPA government.

'The track record of LDF and UDF has been that of a corrupt government. LDF has done explosives scam, cooperative bank scam, AI camera scam, Life Mission scam, PPE kit scam and India's biggest scam - state-sponsored gold smuggling scam,' Shah said at a BJP event in Thiruvananthapuram.

Shah said that he will release the details of the Central funds allocated to Kerala later today.

'PM Narendra Modi government released money for Kerala many times than that released by the Congress government. I will release every detail about it publicly through the BJP head office today,' Shah said.

He said that PM Modi has three core visions fundamental to Kerala's development - governance without corruption, no discrimination in government schemes and Kerala's development beyond political benefits.

'BJP and CPI(M) are both cadre-based parties, but there's a major difference between the two. Cadre welfare is bigger than the state's development in Kerala, while it is Viksit Keralam above cadre for BJP,' he said, claiming that the BJP puts people's welfare above narrow political interests.

Shah also claimed that 'terrorism cannot be answered by anyone other than PM Modi and the BJP.'

'India will be free of Naxalism by 31 March, 2026... Terrorism cannot be answered by anyone other than PM Modi and BJP... We answered Uri attack by surgical strike, Pulwama attacks by air strikes, 'Operation Sindoor se ghar mein ghus ke maara',' he said.

He began his speech by apologising that he couldn't speak in beautiful Malayalam. He also remembered the 8th-century Vedic scholar, philosopher Adi Shankara.

'Kerala is the land of Adi Shankara, who expounded the Veda, Brahma Sutras and other philosophical treatises. I bow before his exalted soul,' he said.

Earlier in the day, he inaugurated the newly constructed state-of-the-art BJP office in Thiruvananthapuram.

In the evening, the Union Minister will travel to Kannur, where he will offer prayers at the renowned Sri Rajarajeshwara Temple in Taliparamba. The visit to the temple is seen as part of the BJP's continued efforts to engage with the cultural and spiritual fabric of Kerala.

The visit comes at a time when political activities are intensifying in Kerala with the assembly elections expected to be held next year and the party looking to energise its cadre.

The next Kerala Legislative Assembly election is expected to be held in May 2026. This election will be held to elect 140 MLAs to the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly. The current tenure of the Kerala government is from May 24, 2021, to May 23, 2026. (ANI)