NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday started the campaign for upcoming Kerala elections from Kochi and said the people of the state were now ready to move beyond the long-standing dominance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), asserting that the BJP’s recent electoral gains in the state signal a wider political shift.PM Modi also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi saying the Congress ‘prince’ does not know youth and many companies in India, Kerala are into drone manufacturing.Addressing a large public gathering in Kochi’s Ernakulam, the prime minister cited the BJP’s victories in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat and the Thiruvananthapuram civic polls as evidence of the party’s expanding footprint in the state.“I am pleased that the people of Kerala have now decided to break free from the vicious circle of the LDF and UDF. This confidence is clearly evident in this massive gathering,” PM Modi said.Beginning his speech by greeting the audience in Malayalam, the prime minister also referred to the state being widely referred to as “Keralam,” calling it a tribute to the heritage of the Malayalam language.“It was your heartfelt call for Kerala to be known as Keralam. I am proud that now the entire country and the world are calling this great state Keralam. I am also proud that this historic work has been accomplished by the BJP-NDA government. It is a tribute to the wonderful heritage of Malayalam,” he said.PM Modi urged voters in the state to break the traditional cycle of governments alternating between the LDF and the UDF, and give the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) an opportunity to govern.“It is important to break the LDF-UDF pattern of government and give the BJP-led NDA a chance to serve you for the next five years. You have Modi’s guarantee,” the prime minister said.The remarks come as the BJP seeks to expand its political presence in Kerala, a state historically dominated by the Left and Congress-led alliances. Party leaders have been projecting recent electoral successes as a sign of growing support for the BJP in the southern state.