Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday, 20 June attributed India's ascent to the world's fifth-largest economy to a fundamental shift in governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing that decisive policy-making had reversed the country's earlier reputation for corruption and strategic drift.

Key Remarks at Navabharat Sadas

Chandrasekhar was speaking at the Navabharat Sadas in Thiruvananthapuram, an event organised by the BJP to mark 12 years of the Modi government. He said India's Constitution, its people, and its democratic foundations had remained constant — but a new governance philosophy had produced a historic transformation.

'India today is being recognised as a major global economic power because of the governance model adopted by the Modi government,' he said.

Manufacturing as the Turning Point

Chandrasekhar directly addressed critics, naming Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan as among those who had earlier argued that India's manufacturing sector could not succeed. He contended that manufacturing growth had, in fact, been the primary driver of India's economic rise.

He pointed to the mobile phone industry as a concrete example: before 2014, nearly 90 per cent of mobile phones used in India were imported; today, he said, 98 per cent are manufactured domestically under the Make in India initiative.

Youth, Aspiration, and Governance Philosophy

Chandrasekhar, who also serves as the BJP MLA from the Nemom constituency, said the government had cultivated an environment where the aspirations of young Indians were actively encouraged, producing a confident workforce recognised globally. He contrasted this with what he described as the Opposition's approach of promising freebies, arguing that the Modi government had instead prioritised policy design and implementation.

'The country is progressing towards the goal of becoming a fully developed nation by 2047 by creating a strong foundation for future generations,' he said.

Keynote Address by V. Muraleedharan

Kazhakkoottam MLA V. Muraleedharan, who delivered the keynote address, said the Centre's 12-year tenure had been defined by decisions anchored in development, good governance, national security, and self-reliance. He highlighted transparency and the reduction of corruption in governance mechanisms as among the most significant achievements of the period.

'The Modi government has shown that development and welfare can move together,' Muraleedharan said.

Exhibition and Broader Context

An exhibition showcasing the government's welfare schemes and accomplishments over the past 12 years was held alongside the event. This comes as the BJP ramps up outreach in Kerala, a state where it has historically struggled against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Indian National Congress (Congress)-led United Democratic Front (UDF). The Navabharat Sadas represents part of a broader BJP effort to consolidate its growing foothold in the state following its Nemom seat win.