By pronouncing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and actor Suresh Gopi fit to be a parliamentarian, Thrissur Mayor MK Varghese has stirred up a hornet’s nest as he holds office with the support of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala.

Suresh Gopi, a renowned actor and politician, is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Thrissur for the second time. He lost the 2019 election, which he contested as a Member of Parliament at the Rajya Sabha.

“He is fit to be Thrissur’s MP at the Lok Sabha. Anyone can’t be an MP, there should be certain qualities, such as going to work with the masses and recognising their needs. Suresh Gopi is fit,” Varghese told reporters on April 12, Friday, two weeks before the election in Kerala.

He is especially happy with Suresh Gopi’s donation of one crore rupees to the Thrissur corporation, Varghese said, adding that he would accept whatever is good for Thrissur, and will support whoever works for the development of the city.

Varghese had contested the local body polls of 2020 as an independent candidate and Congress rebel. An understanding was reached between him and the LDF, which won the majority in Thrissur, that he would be Mayor with their support for a few years, after which the post would be taken over by a Communist member. 

When his comments about Suresh Gopi became controversial, Varghese reportedly tried some damage control by stating that all three main candidates in Thrissur are good. VS Sunilkumar of the Communist Party of India is the LDF’s candidate while Congress leader K Muraleedharan is contesting for the United Democratic Front.

Varghese had created a ruckus a few years ago when he came out against the police for not saluting him like they did Ministers and Legislators. He wrote to the police chief, citing protocol. Incidentally, Suresh Gopi too raised issue with a police officer not offering him a salute while he served as the Rajya Sabha MP from Thrissur between 2016 and 2022.