THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Suresh Gopi, the NDA candidate of Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, has come forward with a response on the incident of the election commission seeking an explanation from him for seeking votes in the name of Lord Ayyappa. I have not breached the election code of conduct. The party will give a reply to the notice of the election commission. It is the helplessness of the devotee not able to say the name of their favourite god. What democracy is this, people will reply for this, he said.

District collector and also the district election officer T V Anupama had served a notice to Suresh Gopi citing breach of the election code of conduct for invoking the name of Lord Ayyapa in his speech at Thekkinkkad Maidan on Friday.

Meantime, BJP spokesperson B Gopalakrishnan said the collector who sent notice to the Suresh Gopi shows her illiteracy. Sabarimala issue is the fall of the Pinarayi Government and is the mistake towards Ayyappa devotees. This is an election issue. If the word Sabarimala cannot be uttered and if it is a breach of the election code of conduct then it is purely ignorance.

Even if the election commission opposes it, the Sabarimala issue will be raised before the people and this is an election issue itself. It will be raised to seek votes, Gopalakrishnan said. He strongly condemned the action of Thrissur district collector T V Anupama.