A political row has broken out after allegations surfaced that Union Minister and Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi cast his vote in two different cities, first in Thrissur during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and then in Thiruvananthapuram in the recently held local body polls.
CPI leader VS Sunil Kumar on Wednesday, December 10 said that Suresh Gopi’s action calls into question the credibility of the electoral system.
He noted that during the 2024 parliamentary election, Gopi had declared Thrissur as his permanent residence before voting in Nettissery along with his family. However, in the local body elections held this week, the Minister and his family were seen voting in the Sasthamangalam division under the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
“In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Union Minister Suresh Gopi and his family cast their votes in Nettissery, Thrissur, after declaring that their permanent residence was in Thrissur. But in the local body elections held now, the same family has voted in the Sasthamangalam division of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. How is this possible? The Election Commission and the Union Minister must give an explanation for this,” Sunil Kumar said, demanding clarity from the Election Commission.
The Congress too launched a strong attack. Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Joseph Tajet accused the MP of misleading voters. He said the claim of being a Thrissur resident during the Lok Sabha polls and then shifting his vote to Thiruvananthapuram raised grave ethical concerns.
The DCC president also urged the Election Commission to examine whether the Minister violated electoral rules, adding that he owed an apology to the people of Thrissur.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission clarified that the two elections use separate electoral rolls and that a procedural lapse cannot be assumed without verification. Officials added that they would initiate an inquiry if a formal complaint is submitted.