Suresh Gopi's Remark, Those Elected by Corpses Serving Kerala, Triggers Controversy
The union minister claimed he was being subjected to a political witch hunt."There is a vilification campaign against me. I was accused of disrupting Thrissur Pooram for votes and of offering a copper circlet instead of gold to a shrine in Thrissur."
Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister Suresh Gopi stirred controversy on Tuesday by claiming that those elected by "corpses" are now serving the state.
Speaking at a neighbourhood meet called "Kalungu" in Idukki district, he alleged that cadavers from 25 years ago had cast votes in Kerala elections. Media reports have previously highlighted incidents of deceased voters being listed as active in Kerala's voter list, he said, while indirectly referring to the accusations of "scientific rigging " against the Left parties.
The minister was responding to allegations of voter fraud in Thrissur constituency, which his opponents allege resulted in the BJP's victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Congress had voiced serious concerns over a "suspicious and abnormal increase" in voter registrations in the constituency. They suspect that the BJP 's historic win may have been influenced by voter roll manipulations and mass irregular enrollments before the poll.
Suresh Gopi pointed out that he did not secure victory in BJP strongholds like Thiruvananthapuram or Palakkad, but his win in Thrissur signifies divine support. "I feel overwhelmed when reflecting on the incredible victory in Thrissur. It makes me emotional and I struggle to hold back tears," the actor turned politician said.
The union minister claimed he was being subjected to a political witch hunt."There is a vilification campaign against me. I was accused of disrupting Thrissur Pooram for votes and of offering a copper circlet instead of gold to a shrine in Thrissur," he said.
Gopi also addressed false allegations, denying claims that he had recommended Tamil Nadu for the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) initially allocated to Kerala. The union minister declared that he would leave politics if those spreading these lies could prove he had lobbied for Tamil Nadu over Kerala.
Several projects are being proposed for Kerala, he said and added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that a Centre for Forensic Sciences Laboratory and Research and Training Institute would be established in Thrissur. However, the state government has complicated the proposal by suggesting Thiruvananthapuram as the preferred location for the Centre. Additionally, it was claimed that land is unavailable in Thrissur.
"In response to the state government's resistance, I mentioned that the Centre could assign the project to Stalin, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, with Cumbum and Theni in mind as alternative locations," he said.
Suresh Gopi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi also questioned why Alappuzha was excluded from the list of potential sites for the AIIMS project.