Centre’s governance is our campaigns’ backbone: Suresh Gopi

Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in central Kerala is witnessing one of the most fiercely-fought contests in the general elections. It is a seat that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has never won a seat in Kerala before, is pinning all its hopes on, through its veteran actor candidate Suresh Gopi. In 2019 elections, Gopi finished third behind UDF and LDF, but was able to raise the BJP’s vote-share by a whopping 17%. With PM having visited Thrissur thrice this year, all eyes are on the constituency which has a sizeable Christian voter segment. HT’s Vishnu Varma caught up with BJP’s Suresh Gopi in the middle of his campaign. Edited Excerpts:

The campaign is going strong in a very smooth, polished and sophisticated manner. The main decision arrived at was not to tamper with anyone personally, not to get into their privacies. Not even mention their names. I think I have succeeded at not mentioning their names except for Murali-ettan (Muraleedharan) who happens to be a big brother in the family. So I have taken his name at a couple of places. Otherwise, I have kept away from the usual mud-slinging in some way to attain success. There are issues concerning the lives of the people. So I keep poking their memory and the first change needs to happen on April 26, the day of voting. Their decision can bring change. I am here to give them a fresh taste of governance as an elected representative.

Not at all. The PM has a responsibility as he is also the leader of the party. He has to go places and build a fort. He is doing that and it’s his right. After the elections in Kerala are over, I have to go to other states also (to campaign). Right now, why should there be pressure on me? I am taking it very cool. There is a target and I have to meet it. I am rushing towards it.

I didn’t make a claim. That can only be seen as a strategy. It could be a possibility, I don’t know, Anyway, I am not informed about such possibilities. The only thing that I know is I will be a workaholic. I will work through my film career and public service also.

See, even without becoming a union minister, I can perform to that level. I have done that when I was in the Rajya Sabha.

Please don’t ask me like that. I am looking at only voters who are citizens of Thrissur and of the country.

No challenges at all. The excellence of governance by the central government for the past 10 years is our backbone. It is very stiff. The people are experiencing the benevolence of the central governance. That is our support. There is no challenge. Give us a chance and we will prove. People are voting for a change in Thrissur and I am very confident.

It is clear that the Congress is not concerned about the real wrath dispensed on the people of the state. Not just Karuvannur, there are hundreds of other cooperative banks, societies which have created havoc in the lives of people. These people are not big actors like Mammootty, Mohanlal or me. They are laymen. You should understand what was the kind of emotion behind the money that was deposited in these banks. They could not pay up their hospital bills. Some of them could not get their daughters married off in a fairly good way. It is their money. If they (accused) have flicked it, you will flick the cells of the jails. No one will be left scot-free.

ED or its processes are not run by Modi or Amit Shah. They have their liberties. You cannot be gearing or wheeling the ED. They will do their job.

I have no rivals. I am not looking at such things. My target is success and I am running towards it.

No, it was all data material what he wanted to tell me and also what he should be made knowledgeable about. Such topics were transferred.

I have some schemes and projects that will uplift the lives of people not just in Thrissur but also in neighbouring constituencies. I have told people about the extension of the Kochi Metro (till Thrissur), the (need for improvement of ) drainage system which is very inevitable because the water bodies in the city are getting depleted. I have also talked about a cross-connect to NH 17 touching Kunnamkulam.