Suresh Gopi Defiant Amid Voter Fraud Allegations

Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Tourism Suresh Gopi, the BJP’s first-ever Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, on Sunday brushed off allegations of voter list manipulation in the 2024 Thrissur election, asserting that the Election Commission of India (ECI) should address the claims. Speaking to reporters after garlanding a statue of Shakthan Thampuran, a historical ruler of Kochi, Gopi dismissed the accusations as baseless and provocatively referred to his critics as “vanaras” (monkeys), suggesting they take their grievances to the Supreme Court.

“I’m a minister, and I’m fulfilling my duties well. The Election Commission will respond to these allegations. If they want answers, let those vanaras go to the Supreme Court,” Gopi said, marking his first public response to the controversy that has stirred political tensions in Thrissur. The Congress and CPI(M) have accused Gopi of securing his 2024 victory—by a margin of 74,686 votes over CPI’s V.S. Sunil Kumar—through fraudulent voter registrations, including claims that he and 11 family members falsely declared residency in Thrissur’s “Bharath Heritage” house.

The Congress, led by former MP T.N. Prathapan, filed a police complaint on August 12, alleging Gopi submitted a false affidavit claiming six months’ residency in Thrissur, a requirement for voter list inclusion. They cited a suspicious surge of 1,46,656 voters in Thrissur between 2019 and 2024, compared to a state average of 80,000, and pointed to cases like 17 voters in Avanisseri Panchayat sharing the same father’s name. CPI(M) leaders, including Kerala General Education Minister V. Sivankutty, have demanded a re-election, with CPI’s Binoy Viswam calling for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into what he termed a “BJP-RSS conspiracy.”

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Gopi’s silence until now had fueled protests, with CPI(M) workers defacing his office signboard and BJP supporters clashing with opponents, injuring five activists. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar defended Gopi, urging critics to approach the ECI or courts rather than “spreading lies.” The ECI, responding via X, labeled the allegations “false and misleading,” stating no objections were raised during post-election scrutiny and that complaints should follow legal channels.

The controversy has spotlighted broader concerns about electoral integrity, with Congress leaders alleging systemic manipulation by the BJP, including registering voters in vacant flats. As investigations unfold, with Thrissur’s police commissioner ordering a probe, Gopi’s defiant stance and the ECI’s response signal a heated legal and political battle ahead, with implications for Kerala’s electoral landscape.

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