BJP’s promise to make Thiruvananthapuram 2036 Olympics venue triggers political row

BJP’s local body election manifesto promise to develop the state capital into a co-host city for the 2036 Olympics triggered a political row, with leaders of both LDF and UDF on Monday calling it a fake claim.

In its manifesto for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election, BJP said it would request the Centre to include the city as one of the venues for the 2036 Games.

The International Olympic Committee is yet to announce the host for the 2036 edition of the world’s biggest sporting event.

However, there have been reports that India is bidding for the Games with Ahmedabad as its proposed main host city.

Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty accused BJP of deceiving the people of Thiruvananthapuram.

“When the Union Government has bid for the Olympics in Gujarat, how can BJP here claim that Thiruvananthapuram will be a venue?”

He further said as part of the bidding process, BJP is planning for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, he claimed.

He asked whether BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar considered the people of Thiruvananthapuram “fools”.

“The proposal submitted to the Olympic body has no mention of Thiruvananthapuram. This is a trick because BJP has nothing to say about development,” he said.

Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan also hit out at BJP on its election manifesto, saying that, fearing defeat, the party had begun making “fake promises”.

“They know they would not even become the main opposition party this time. Hence, such claims,” he said.

State Revenue Minister K Rajan echoed a similar view, stating that the host for the 2036 Olympics had yet to be announced, but BJP claimed the event would be held in Thiruvananthapuram.

Reacting to the criticism, Chandrasekhar said that other political parties would realise the proposal later.

“They do not understand how it will happen. We will teach them after we get the opportunity to govern,” he said.

BJP is currently the main opposition in the CPI(M)-governed Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

The local body election in the state will be held in two phases on December 9 and 11.