On Saturday, the Election Commission officials sought an explanation from actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, for his alleged appeal for votes by invoking the name of the god Ayyappa, during a campaign meeting. Suresh Gopi is contesting as NDA candidate in Thrissur Parliament seat. District collector TV Anupama, who is also the district election officer, has directed Suresh Gopi to submit an explanation within 48 hours. The collector said that the candidate had made the alleged appeal at an election campaign meeting at Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur on Friday.

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Teeka Ram Meena, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had explicitly stated earlier that none of the candidates contesting in elections should campaign by invoking the name of Ayyappa. He had made this clarification in the wake of the widespread protests, supported by Sangh Parivar outfits, against the state government’s move to implement the Supreme Court order to permit women of all ages to the Sabarimala temple. The CEO had recalled that invoking religion and religious symbols for election campaign was against the model code of conduct for elections.  

In the notice, the collector disclosed that as per the video footage of the speech, NDA candidate Suresh Gopi had said that he was appealing for votes in the backdrop of the Sabarimala issue, during his campaign meeting. He said that the “brutal government’’ will get a befitting reply not only in Kerala but across the country. However, he had also stated that he will not make Sabarimala a poll issue. The audience can be heard chanting “Saranam Ayyappa’’ when he mentions the name of Ayyappa, the collector recalled in the notice.

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