Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday addressed allegations surrounding Union Minister Suresh Gopi's 2024 Lok Sabha victory in Thrissur, urging critics to file complaints with the Election Commission or courts rather than resorting to public accusations. The Congress and CPI have claimed that Gopi, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Tourism, submitted a false voter declaration and benefited from alleged voter list manipulation to secure his win.

The Congress party filed a police complaint on Tuesday, demanding a criminal case against Gopi for the alleged false declaration. Meanwhile, CPI leader V S Sunil Kumar, who contested against Gopi, alleged significant tampering in the Thrissur electoral roll, which he claims facilitated Gopi's victory by a margin of over 74,000 votes in a competitive three-way race against Kumar and Congress candidate K Muraleedharan.

Chandrasekhar questioned the timing of these allegations, noting they emerged over a year after the 2024 polls. He accused the opposition of attempting to mislead the public and create unrest as new elections approach, calling such tactics a "political drama" orchestrated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He emphasized that legal avenues, such as filing an election petition, are the appropriate channels for addressing electoral disputes.

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On Tuesday, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty called for a re-election in Thrissur, citing reports of widespread voter list irregularities. Gopi, who arrived in Thrissur on Wednesday, visited a BJP worker injured during a protest the previous day but refrained from commenting on the allegations. At the hospital, he made a brief remark, saying, "Thanks for helping so much," without clarifying the context or recipient of his gratitude.

The controversy has sparked debates about electoral integrity in Thrissur, a key constituency in Kerala. As the accusations gain traction, all eyes are on the Election Commission and legal authorities to address the claims. Neither Gopi nor the BJP has issued an official response to the specific allegations, leaving room for further developments in this unfolding political saga.

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