NEW DELHI: Suresh Gopi, actor and Lok Sabha Thrissur Lok Sabha MP, took oath as Union Minister in the third Narendra Modi government. Suresh Gopi took the oath in English in the name of God. President Draupadi Murmu administered the oath. This is the first time that the BJP has a Lok Sabha member from Kerala. The first BJP Lok Sabha member from Kerala will also become a Union Minister.
BJP workers in Kerala celebrated Suresh Gopi's oath-taking. The BJP ctivists celebrated by distributing sweets and repeatedly chanted Suresh Gopi's name along with the party name. Colleagues in the film industry including actor Mohanlal congratulated Suresh Gopi.
Suresh Gopi won Thrissur with a majority of 74,686 votes in a tight triangular contest. Suresh Gopi defeated former minister and CPI leader VS Sunilkumar and Congress leader K Muraleedharan. In 2019, Suresh Gopi, who contested from Thrissur, had to settle with the third position. Later, he contested for the state assembly in 2021 but was defeated.
Although he lost in Thrissur in both the contested elections, he continued to focus on the constituency and reaped results in 2024.
Meanwhile, Narendra Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for the third time. The Union Cabinet comprises 72 members from the BJP and eight allied parties. BJP national president JP Nadda is also included in the cabinet.