Union Minister Suresh Gopi
Credit: X/@@TheSureshGopi
Thiruvananthapuram: Even as Union Minister Suresh Gopi, who is an actor turned politician, is quite known for his punch dialogues in reel life and now in political life, his latest one is triggering much curiosity.
Gopi said on Sunday that RSS leader from Kerala Sadanandan Master, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Kerala, should be made an union minister by replacing him. He added that after being a union minister he couldn't act much in films and it was affecting his income.
Speaking at a reception accorded to master at Kannur in Kerala, Gopi said that the CPM leaders of Kannur were quite concerned that Master's elevation to the MP post would open the doors for more BJP MLAs and MPs getting elected by the region, which has been considered as CPM's stronghold.
"I am saying here with sincerity that Sadanandan Master should be made a union minister after removing me. I believe that it will become a new chapter in the political history of Kerala. Despite being the youngest BJP member I was made a minister. It could be due to the people's mandate that I received and become the first Lok Sabha MP of BJP from Kerala," he said.
He added that even before the election he had said that he didn't want to be a minister and wanted to continue with acting. "Acting brings me revenue and I want to support my family and some others with the revenue. But now my revenue is affected," he said.
Sources in the Malayalam film industry told DH that basically being an actor, Gopi seems to have concerns that he was not able to focus much on films after becoming the union minister. However, his remark that he may be replaced with Master as union minister need not be due to that concern.
Earlier there were reports that the BJP leadership was initially hesitant to give Gopi nod to resume acting after he was made union minister of state for petroleum and tourism. He later got permission to finish the films he had already committed. The film 'Janaki S v/s State of Kerala' in which he acted after becoming the union minister was even caught up in a controversy with the Central Board of Film Certification raising objection to use of the name 'Janaki' for the title character citing that it will hurt religious sentiments.