The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP have been intensifying their outreach initiatives among Kerala’s Christian communities in the past two years, aiming to expand their influence and strengthen their organizational foundation in the state. These efforts, including the Sneha Yatra door-to-door campaign in non-Hindu areas, meetings with specific Christian groups, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on Kerala, have proven fruitful for the party.
Suresh Gopi, a renowned actor who transitioned into politics, has achieved a substantial victory in the Thrissur constituency, securing a margin of 74,686 votes over his nearest competitor, advocate VS Sunil Kumar from the Communist Party of India (CPI). Gopi’s triumph symbolizes the BJP’s growing presence in Kerala and its potential to make further inroads in the state’s political landscape.
About Suresh Gopi
1. Born in June 1958 in Kerala’s Alappuzha, Suresh Gopi holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Arts in English Literature. He is an actor, playback singer, philanthropist, and social worker known for his work primarily in Malayalam cinema.
2. In 1998, he received the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film ‘Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakshmi.’ Before taking a break from acting, his final film was ‘My God’ (2015). After a five-year hiatus, he returned to Malayalam cinema with a significant role in ‘Kaaval’ in 2020.
3. Gopi rose to fame with the lead role in Shaji Kailas’s ‘Commissioner’ (1992) and cemented his status as a star with ‘Ekalavyan’ (1993). Among his notable films are ‘Lelam’ (1997), ‘The King’ (1995), and ‘Chandralekha’ (1997).
4. In October 2016, Suresh Gopi formally joined the BJP. He ran unsuccessfully from the Thrissur constituency in the 2019 general election in Kerala but was announced as the BJP candidate again for the constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
5. Gopi was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, under Article 80 of the Indian Constitution in 2016. He served in the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022.
