Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10 (NationPress) A political uproar has unfolded in Kerala following the act of BJP MP and Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi voting in the Sasthamangalam division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on December 9 during local body elections. This action has sparked intense criticism from the Opposition and a robust defense from the BJP.

The controversy was initially highlighted by CPI leader and former State Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar, who raised concerns about how Suresh Gopi, who registered and voted as a resident of Thrissur in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is now participating in the local body polls in Thiruvananthapuram.

Gopi previously defeated Sunil Kumar in the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat by over 70,000 votes, adding another layer of political tension to the current situation.

Sunil Kumar has called for clarifications from both the Election Commission and the Union Minister, accusing him of violating electoral regulations and demanding clarity on Gopi's voting eligibility in two different locations within a brief period.

In an additional critique, Joseph Tajet, the president of the Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC), asserted that Suresh Gopi's true intentions have been revealed through this incident, validating the Opposition's prior concerns.

Tajet accused the BJP MP of misleading voters, characterizing the vote in Sasthamangalam as evidence of political hypocrisy and a contradiction to the narrative presented during the Lok Sabha campaign in Thrissur.

He urged Suresh Gopi to publicly clarify his position, apologize to the people of Thrissur for potentially misleading them during the parliamentary election, and resign in light of what he termed a serious moral and political failure.

"A voter cannot lawfully exercise voting rights in two places. This undermines the democratic process and shakes the confidence of ordinary citizens in the electoral system," he stated.

Conversely, the BJP dismissed these allegations as politically driven and lacking legal merit, accusing the Opposition of distorting facts to incite confusion during a sensitive electoral period.

Senior BJP leader B. Gopalakrishnan emphasized that the electoral lists for Lok Sabha, Assembly, and local body elections are compiled separately under different legal frameworks, although they pertain to the same individual.

“It’s well-known that these are separate electoral rolls, each governed by distinct rules and regulations. The Opposition is intentionally misleading the public and attempting to fabricate a false controversy,” he asserted.

He also mentioned that Suresh Gopi had sold his residence in Nettissery in Thrissur and now owns a valid property in Sasthamangalam, which justifies his inclusion in the local body voters' list.

“Does the Opposition expect him to move into a neighbor's house just because his previous home was sold?” he sarcastically remarked, adding that any claims against the MP’s enrollment in the local body voters' list should be substantiated with documentary evidence.

Election officials confirmed that Suresh Gopi's name had been on the Sasthamangalam local body voters' list even in previous elections, and it had not been removed or changed in the latest revision.

Since he possesses a residence in Sasthamangalam and his name remains on the local body voters' roll there, his voting in Thiruvananthapuram does not constitute a legal infraction, officials indicated, noting that there is no record of him voting in any Thrissur local body election.

However, they added that the only relevant question is why his name was absent from the Thrissur local body electoral roll at the time he was registered and voted as a Lok Sabha elector from Thrissur, and whether the proper procedural updates were completed simultaneously.

As both parties engage in a war of words, the situation has introduced new political heat into Kerala's already charged local body election atmosphere and is likely to remain a hot topic in the coming days.