The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) became the first major political force to release its manifesto for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, titled “Viksit Keralam” (Developed Kerala).
Unveiled on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, by National President Nitin Nabin and State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the document presents an ambitious 10-year roadmap designed to break the long-standing “political match-fixing” between the LDF and UDF.
The manifesto focuses heavily on a “job revolution,” high-tech infrastructure, and a robust social safety net for women and the elderly. At the heart of the BJP’s developmental pitch is the promise of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for Kerala and a “totally green” high-speed railway network.
This rail corridor, designed for speeds of up to 200 km/h, aims to connect Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur in just over three hours.
To minimize the recurring issue of land acquisition in the state, the party proposes that 90% of the tracks will be either elevated or tunneled.
Additionally, the manifesto outlines an employment-linked incentive scheme offering soft loans of ₹1 lakh to enterprises for every new job created for Kerala residents, targeting sectors like IT, tourism, and food processing.
On the welfare front, the party has reached out to the state’s massive base of women and senior citizens with several direct benefit promises. Key among these is the “Bhakshya Arogya Suraksha” card, providing ₹2,500 monthly for medicines and groceries to needy women.
The manifesto also pledges to hike social security pensions to ₹3,000 per month for those over 70 and widows, along with providing 20,000 liters of free water monthly to every household.
In a move aimed at religious sentiments, the BJP promised to revamp the Devaswom Boards to increase devotee participation in temple management and launched a “Sabarimala Infrastructure Development Mission” to transform the hilltop shrine’s facilities.
