Tug of war among BJP Kerala leaders for AIIMS

While Suresh Gopi is batting for AIIMS in Alappuzha district, BJP leaders from Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram are demanding that it be set up in their respective districts

Thiruvananthapuram: A tug of war is on among BJP leaders in Kerala, including Union Minister Suresh Gopi, over the location of the proposed unit of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the State.

While Gopi is batting for AIIMS in Alappuzha district, BJP leaders from Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram are demanding that the proposed AIIMS unit be set up in their respective districts.

The State government had earlier suggested Kozhikode, Kochi, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram as the location for AIIMS in the State, which is a proposal pending for more than a decade.

The Centre recently informed Parliament that the four locations suggested by the Kerala government for setting up AIIMS were not yet approved.

Gopi's strong stand that AIIMS should be set up in Alappuzha has raised many eyebrows as he won from Thrissur to become the BJP's maiden Lok Sabha member from Kerala.

It was during a recent talk with the public on development projects that Gopi, who is Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum, said that he strongly feels that the AIIMS should be set up in the south Kerala district of Alappuzha, considering the backwardness of the district. He also said that he would seek people's mandate again only if, at least, the foundation stone for the AIIMS was laid.

BJP Kasargod district president M L Ashwini said that, considering the medical backwardness of Kasargod, the proposed AIIMS should be set up in the district. She also said that it was one key assurance she gave to the people of Kasargod while contesting the Lok Sabha election from the constituency. Though she got defeated in the election, she would continue her efforts for AIIMS in the north Kerala district that shares borders with Karnataka.

Meanwhile, BJP Thiruvananthapuram city district president Karamana Jayan said that Kattada, on the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram, would be the most ideal spot for AIIMS as people from the southern parts of Tamil Nadu would also get its benefit.

As the row thickens, BJP State general secretary M T Ramesh said in Kasargod on Thursday that what the Union Minister said was only his personal opinion. The Centre would decide the ideal location for AIIMS.