Kozhikode (Kerala) [India], October 14 (ANI): Senior Congress leader and Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) VD Satheesan said that Union Minister of State (MoS) Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi was a “very good actor” and it was entirely his decision to quit his ministerial position.
“That is his decision. He is a very good actor. He can act,” Satheesan told ANI.
His remark came after Gopi expressed a wish to step down from his ministerial position due to a decline in income, suggesting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader C Sadanandan Master as a possible replacement.
Addressing an event in Kannur, Gopi expressed his desire to return to acting, stating that he wishes to continue his film career. The Thrissur MP and actor-turned-politician stated that his income has significantly decreased since assuming the ministerial role.
“I have never prayed to become a minister. Just a day before the election, when I was sitting and talking to journalists, I said clearly, I don’t want to be a minister; I want to continue with my film career. Being a minister comes with a lot of difficulties. I want to continue acting, earn well, because my children haven’t yet settled anywhere, and there are a few people who depend on my income. To help at least some of them, my source of income shouldn’t stop. Right now, it has almost completely stopped,” Gopi said while addressing a gathering in Kannur.
Talking about his affiliation with the BJP, Gopi said, “I am the youngest member of this party. I remember taking my party membership on October 28, 2016. At that time, we were told to take party membership within six months, and I hurriedly did it. It wasn’t something I had planned. Maybe it was because of the respect for the mandate, being the first MP elected by the people from Kerala, that the party felt a certain responsibility, and that’s why I was made a minister.”
Gopi further noted that he is the youngest member in his party and suggested that Rajya Sabha MP C Sadanandan Master be appointed in his place as Union Minister.
“Let me say this from my heart, if I am relieved from this post and he (C. Sadanandan Master) is made a minister instead, I truly believe that would mark a new chapter in Kerala’s political history,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Union Minister said that many people were in the habit of twisting and misinterpreting his words.
He pointed out that his use of the term “praja” to refer to the people of his constituency, Thrissur, had been criticised.
Providing an example of how sanitation workers, previously referred to as manual scavengers, were now being referred to as sanitation engineers, the minister stated that his use of ‘praja’ and ‘prajatantra’ had been twisted by his opponents.
“What is wrong with using the word praja?” Gopi said. (ANI)