Thiruvananthapuram- Following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s explosive allegations of vote theft in Karnataka, fresh accusations of voter list manipulation have surfaced in Thrissur, the only Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), casting a shadow over Central Minister and actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi’s victory.

New evidence has emerged, intensifying claims of electoral malpractice, as reports reveal that Suresh Gopi, his wife Radhika Suresh, and six family members: Subhash Gopi, Indira Rajasekharan, Rani Subhash, Sunil Gopi, and Karthika Sunil, are registered voters in Thiruvananthapuram’s Shasthamangalam ward for local elections while also holding voting rights in Thrissur, with Subhash Gopi additionally registered in Kollam for the Lok Sabha polls.

These individuals, confirmed as permanent residents of Shasthamangalam who voted there until the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, allegedly shifted their voter registrations to a rented address in Thrissur when Suresh Gopi contested the Lok Sabha seat, raising serious questions about a violation of the rule restricting voting rights to permanent residents.

The controversy has ignited a political firestorm in Kerala, with accusations of “vote chori” fueling tensions. The situation escalated on August 12 when Suresh Gopi’s campaign office in Thrissur was attacked, with Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) workers allegedly pouring black oil on the office’s signboard, triggering a violent clash that left five BJP and three CPM workers injured. Police have filed cases against around 50 activists from both sides, and a CPM worker, Vipin Wilson, arrested for defacing the signboard, was reportedly freed by fellow CPM activists. In response, the BJP has announced statewide protests, including marches across all Kerala districts, to condemn the violence and counter the allegations against their star candidate. Suresh Gopi, who arrived in Thiruvananthapuram from Delhi was set to reach Thrissur in the morning where the BJP planned a grand reception to rally support amid the growing controversy.

The opposition, comprising the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), has seized the opportunity to amplify their protests. The Youth Congress has launched a statewide letter-writing campaign targeting the Election Commission of India, demanding a probe into the voter list irregularities.

The LDF, meanwhile, has vowed to sustain its agitation, framing the attack on Suresh Gopi’s office as part of a broader push to expose alleged electoral manipulation by the BJP. Despite persistent media queries upon his arrival at Thiruvananthapuram airport, Suresh Gopi has remained tight-lipped on the voter fraud allegations, adding fuel to the ongoing debate. As protests from the BJP, LDF, and UDF intensify, the controversy threatens to undermine public confidence in the electoral process in Thrissur, a landmark win for the BJP in Kerala, placing immense pressure on the Election Commission to investigate and ensure transparency in the state’s electoral framework.

Vote Chori in Thrissur: Congress Explanation

The Kerala Congress has taken to social media to highlight alleged electoral fraud by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in securing its first-ever Lok Sabha seat in Thrissur, Kerala, accusing BJP candidate Suresh Gopi of winning through voter list manipulation. According to their post, an analysis of electoral data reveals an unusual spike in Thrissur’s voter numbers, with 62,318 votes added in 2019 and a staggering 1,46,656 votes added in 2024, making it Kerala’s largest constituency with 14.83 lakh votes.

The Congress questions how such a dramatic increase occurred, dismissing possibilities like a population explosion or mass migration, as districts like Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kozhikode typically attract migrants for jobs. They allege that the BJP conducted large-scale voter registrations using empty houses and apartment addresses in Thrissur, mirroring tactics reportedly exposed by Rahul Gandhi in Bangalore.

The post cites an example of 11 votes added under “Bharath Heritage” at Suresh Gopi’s Nettissery residence in Thrissur, including his family members who reside in Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram, to support claims of non-residents being added to the voter list. The Kerala Congress asserts that such manipulations, similar to those alleged in Bangalore Central and Mahadevapura, were widespread, suggesting the BJP lacked a genuine mandate in the 2024 General Elections and implying that even Prime Minister Modi’s victory in Varanasi may have relied on similar fraudulent practices.