BJP MP from Thrissur and actor Suresh Gopi.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Hours after being sworn in as a Minister of State, BJP's first Lok Sabha MP from Kerala—Suresh Gopi—has said that he expects his party to "relieve" him from the post "soon" as his passion remains acting in films.
The remarks were immediately interpreted as the 65-year-old Thrissur MP's unhappiness over being relegated to the role of a Minister of State despite him being the first candidate to win a Lok Sabha seat for the saffron party from Kerala. There was also speculation that he was planning to resign, but the actor denied any such plans.
"I want to work as an MP. I did not demand or want it. I had told the party that I was not interested in it. I think I will be relieved soon. People of Thrissur know very well, I will perform very well as an MP. [But] I want to act in films. I know I will be relieved," Gopi said on Sunday night.
However, as his remarks created a furore, he issued a statement on Monday afternoon calling reports that he was going to resign from the government as "grossly incorrect".
“It is a matter of pride for me to be in the Council of Ministers of the Modi government and to represent the people of Kerala. Under the leader of PM Narendra Modi, we are committed to the development and prosperity of Kerala,” he said.
He has at least four big budget film projects, including one produced by Mammooty Kompany, which he has committed to.
Gopi, who is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, had defeated both the Congress and CPI candidates to win Thrissur by a margin of 74,686 votes.
He had designed his campaign around the slogan 'Union Minister for Thrissur, Modi's Guarantee'. Modi, who held roadshows for Gopi during the Lok Sabha campaign, had also recently attended his daughter’s wedding in Kerala’s famous Guruvayoor temple.
The BJP had earlier nominated Gopi, one of the super stars of Malayalam cinema, to the Rajya Sabha. However, he had lost in Assembly and Lok Sabha elections earlier, including from Thrissur.
Responding to Gopi's comments, Congress' Kerala unit posted on 'X', "actor and BJP MP Suresh Gopi took oath as MoS yesterday (Sunday) and portfolio is yet to be assigned. Today he wants to quit because he wants to do films!"
"He is sure that leadership will relieve him soon. BJP, Narendra Modi, why this mockery of voters? Why don't you tell your MP to first decide what he wants to do in life and most importantly stop this show in front of the media after taking oath in the name of God and the Constitution," the post added.