BJP-led NDA will form govt in Kerala in 2026: Nitin Nabin
Thrissur (Kerala) (PTI): BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Saturday asserted that the saffron party will come to power in Kerala following the Assembly elections this year as it has the confidence of the people in the state.
Nabin, on the second day of his two-day visit to the state, said that the central government has done a lot for Kerala which included a 23 per cent increase in the loans given to it and doubling of the grants-in-aid provided to the state.
"The central government has never shown a miserly attitude towards the state and these figures are indicative of that," the BJP president contended while speaking at the 'Intellectual Meet on Union Budget 2026 and Vikasitha Kerala' here.
Addressing the gathering, Nabin said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Viksit Bharat Budget 2026 aligns with the aspirations of the people of Kerala, unlocking massive growth opportunities in Tourism, the Rare Earth Corridor, High-Value Crops, and more.
He also claimed that for decades, the successive LDF-UDF governments in Kerala have led to stagnation of the state's growth and decline of various sectors.
He contended that the state needs structural change, fresh ideas, and visionary leadership and the BJP-led NDA remains committed to delivering a 'Vikasita Keralam' (developed Kerala).
Nabin further claimed that world over people were coming together to fight "Islamic forces", but "some people sitting in Kerala are strongly supporting such forces".
He said that this was an "unfortunate situation" prevailing in Kerala and alleged that it would adversely affect the nation's security and development.
The BJP president said that once the party-led NDA comes to power in Kerala, it would protect the state's cultural history while ensuring its development.
"Women, youth and farmers would be empowered, and an environment would be created for the growth of business," he contended.
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Family of injured driver in murder of Suvendu's aide seeks exemplary punishment
Kolkata (PTI): The family of Buddhabeb Bera, the driver injured in the shooting that killed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible and urged the new government to ensure such incidents do not happen in West Bengal.
Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram near Kolkata on Wednesday night, triggering a political storm in the state. Bera, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the attack, sustained gunshot wounds and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Family members said they learned about the incident through television and immediately left for Kolkata.
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"We came to know from TV reports that my nephew had been shot. We still do not know who carried out the attack or why it happened," Buddhabeb's uncle Biswajit Bera said.
"Our only wish now is that he recovers and returns home safely," he added.
Buddhabeb, 25, hails from Majnaberia village in the Chandipur police station area in Purba Medinipur district.
According to family members, he mostly stays in Kolkata for work and visits home occasionally during weekends.
Besides his parents, his younger brother, sister-in-law and several relatives have also travelled to Kolkata following the incident.
Demanding strict action against the perpetrators, the uncle said, "We want the government to conduct a proper investigation and identify those directly involved in the crime. They should be given exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not happen again in West Bengal and no other family has to go through this grief."
A neighbour, Ranjana Ghorai, also sought stringent punishment for those behind the attack.
"In our neighbourhood, we call him Sona. We want exemplary punishment for the people responsible for this incident," she said.
Rath's family members have demanded life imprisonment for the accused, while Adhikari has called for capital punishment for those involved in the killing.
