BJP Misleading Voters With False Olympic Claim for Thiruvananthapuram: Minister Sivankutty

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty has said that the BJP’s election manifesto claim that the 2036 Olympics would be held in Thiruvananthapuram is a deliberate attempt to mislead voters. He stated that the Union Government has already submitted a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), naming Ahmedabad in Gujarat as India’s proposed host city.

The minister said the Centre is also preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad to showcase Gujarat’s sports facilities as part of its Olympic bid strategy. While the Central Government has formally put forward Gujarat and is awaiting IOC response, BJP leaders arrive in Kerala and claim the Olympics will be brought to Thiruvananthapuram, creating a false impression among the public, he said.

Sivankutty clarified that Thiruvananthapuram does not appear anywhere in the official documents submitted to the IOC. With Ahmedabad clearly positioned as the chosen venue, the BJP’s claim in Kerala amounts to an intentional attempt to misinform voters, he added.

The minister said it is unacceptable for a party in power at the Centre to pretend ignorance of its own government’s plans. Suggesting that Thiruvananthapuram is also under consideration, when Gujarat has already been proposed, is an insult to public intelligence. He expressed confidence that Kerala’s politically conscious citizens will recognise such deceptive promises and not fall for misleading claims.