Kerala: PM Modi takes political jibes, continues Christian outreach at Vizhinjam seaport event

The formal commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Friday (May 2) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—marking a milestone in India’s maritime infrastructure—also doubled up as a stage for sharp political messaging, strategic silences, and subtle outreach to Kerala’s Christian community.

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Addressing a packed audience in Thiruvananthapuram, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor seated on the dais, Modi acknowledged their presence with a pointed political remark. “Your CM and Shashi Tharoor are here. They are prominent leaders of the INDIA alliance. This function will disturb the sleep of some,” he said, adding with a smile, “I was trying to convey a message.”

New era of cooperation

The statement set the tone for a speech that moved quickly from infrastructure to politics. Modi invoked what he called a new era of cooperation between ideologically divergent forces in the name of development. Referring to the involvement of the Adani Group in the public-private partnership model that enabled Vizhinjam’s construction, he noted, “Even a Communist minister is now acknowledging private participation. This is New India.”

Though unstated, the remark appeared aimed at the CPI(M)-led Kerala government’s decision to work with the Adani Group, a frequent target of Opposition parties elsewhere. By underlining the collaboration, Modi sought to signal the blurring of traditional ideological boundaries in pursuit of economic development.

BJP’s Christian outreach

In a departure from the economic and logistical aspects of the port, the Prime Minister also brought up Kerala’s Christian heritage. He recalled a conversation with Pope Francis, who had mentioned that the first church in India was in Kerala—referring to the St Thomas Church.

While on the surface, this seemed like a cultural footnote, it was widely read as a continuation of the BJP’s recent efforts to reach out to Kerala’s Christian voters, a demographic that has traditionally kept the party at arm’s length. The reference aligns with a broader pattern of symbolic gestures and targeted messaging seen in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Politicising development?

Amid the political subtext, a visible moment of friction unfolded on stage. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who had been allotted a seat on the dais while several Kerala ministers were placed in the audience, was seen seated alone for hours ahead of the event. At one point, he was heard shouting slogans from his chair, prompting sharp criticism from state leaders.

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“Just have a look—even our state finance minister is seated among the audience, while the PMO has invited their state president to the stage. And he is shamelessly sloganeering from there,” said State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas. “This is how the Union government is politicising development. People will not accept this.”

“More than BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar's clownishness, what struck me as more excessive was the prime minister’s mockery, calling a minister in the Communist government a ‘partner’ of Adani,” said former finance minister Dr Thomas Issac.

‘Modi unaware of history’

“Modi doesn’t know Kerala’s history. It was in 1957 that a Communist government first came to power. Just like today’s Adani, the Communists back then had strongly opposed Birla in every possible way. Yet they did not hesitate to invite Birla to set up the Mavoor Rayons factory. Not only was he invited, but special concessions were also extended in terms of access to raw materials and more. This had sparked no small controversy at the national level. Even then, just as Modi is doing today, many had mocked the Communists,” he said.

“Modi sees grooming a handful of crony capitalists into global corporate powers as the shortcut to national development. The country’s public sector and common resources are being handed over to them. The government even takes the lead in protecting their interests overseas. The best example of this approach is Adani. And this will only become more evident with time.”

“However, Kerala is operating within a federal structure that has accepted this brand of crony capitalism as policy. Acknowledging this reality, Kerala will do whatever is necessary to secure benefits for the state. Within the limits of federal constraints, Kerala will adopt the most feasible alternative path to development,” Issac wrote on his Facebook account.

Centre-state tension to fore

The optics of the event—and the allocation of seats—fed into a larger narrative of Centre-state tensions. While the Prime Minister used the occasion to take subtle jabs at the Opposition, some omissions in his speech were also noted. He did not refer to the recent tragedy in Pahalgam, where several Indian citizens lost their lives, despite the Kerala chief minister paying tribute to the victims. Nor did he mention the caste census, a subject that remains central to the INDIA alliance’s national campaign but one the BJP has avoided publicly engaging with.

Also read: Vizhinjam port will place India at top of maritime map: Union Minister Sonowal

Despite the political undertones, the commissioning of the Vizhinjam port remains a landmark moment. Strategically located and blessed with natural depth, the port is expected to place India prominently on the global transhipment map. The project, which has seen prolonged delays and faced strong opposition from local fishing communities, has finally reached its operational phase with phase one nearing completion.