BJP made history in Kerala on June 4 after winning its first Lok Sabha seat from the southern state. Actor Suresh Gopi defeated Congress stalwart K. Muraleedharan and CPI leader V.S. Sunilkumar by a massive margin of 74,840 votes.
Following BJP's maiden LS victory in Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday, "Our workers in Kerala served the people and made a lot of sacrifices. They waited for generations. I won't say years, their wait was for generations. That wait has finally yielded a result."
Suresh Gopi who came with a clean image won hearts of the people with his philanthropist works, including revamping the Sakthan market in Thrissur town. He was also able to woo the Christian voters in the contituency.
During the poll campaign, BJP hinted that Suresh Gopi will become a Union minister if he wins the elections.
Kerala has had its share of BJP Union ministers in the past despite the party not winning any Lok Sabha seats. O. Rajagopal, who was the first and only BJP MLA from Kerala between 2016 and 2021, held various Union ministerial portfolios in the past, including Defence, Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Development, Law, Justice, Company Affairs and Railways. He was also a two-time Rajya Sabha from 1992 to 2004.
Bureaucrat-turned-politician Alphons Kannanthanam, who was a Christian face of the BJP in the state, was a Rajya Sabha MP who served as Union minister of state in the tourism and culture ministry.
V. Muraleedharan, who lost against sitting Congress MP Adoor Prakash from Kerala's Attingal Lok Sabha seat, was the Union Minister of State for External Affairs in the previous government.
With Suresh Gopi making history and giving BJP its first Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, the BJP is likely to make the actor a minister. Regarding the portfolio, the newly-elected MP said the party will decide on it and that he will fly to Delhi on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The actor added that movies are his passion and he will continue acting. He said he is working on a Mammootty film and has committed to three projects with producer Gokulam Gopalan. However, he said that he will be equally dedicated in his commitment to the people who voted him to the Parliament.
