'Just for a Change': Will Suresh Gopi's Christian Outreach Pay Off in Thrissur?

A three-way poll battle is underway in Thrissur, where the BJP has fielded the popular actor & ex-Rajya Sabha MP.

"We want change here. If Suresh Gopi becomes the MP, he may get a Union Minister post. That will be a matter of pride for Thrissur," Chandran, a 60-year-old autorickshaw driver, told The Quint, pointing to a massive billboard of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) candidate in the Lok Sabha constituency.

Installed on Swaraj Round at the centre of Thrissur, the billboard – which also carried a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – read, "A Union Minister for Thrissur is Modi's guarantee."

Swaraj Round is a stretch that surrounds the Vadakkunnadhan Temple, where the well-known Thrissur Pooram is held in May annually.

Chandran's friend, another autorickshaw driver, interjected: "This is just his opinion. We also want change, but not at the cost of dividing us." 

Could you share your name, this reporter asked. "If I reveal my name, will the ED [Enforcement Directorate] come after me?" he joked, adding, "Joy, aged 52."

A three-way poll battle is underway in the Thrissur Parliamentary constituency – the land of poorams (festivals) – where the BJP has fielded popular Malayalam actor and former Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi.

Gopi had contested from Thrissur in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Assembly elections. He came third both times, but the BJP gained in vote share. The Prime Minister has visited the segment twice this year, and during his second visit, he attended the wedding of Gopi's daughter.

The United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress, chose K Muraleedharan – the son of former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran and an upper-caste Nair – as a 'surprise' candidate in Thrissur, replacing sitting MP TN Prathapan, who belongs to a fishing community (OEC). Muraleedharan is known among the party cadre as someone who contests from "crisis seats."

Suresh Gopi also belongs to the Nair community, which has supported both the UDF and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala but currently aligns with the BJP from an ideological point of view. The Nair Service Samajam (NSS) – an organisation that represents – has maintained that it has an "equidistant policy" towards all parties.

The CPI(M)-led LDF, meanwhile, has fielded two-time MLA VS Sunil Kumar, a CPI leader widely seen as a "people's person" in Thrissur. The Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven Assembly constituencies, of which four are ruled by the CPI(M) and three by the CPI.

A Typical Triangular Fight

"In most other seats in Kerala, the fight is going to be between the UDF and the LDF. Therefore, the Thrissur seat is very important for the BJP," Jacob George, a senior journalist and political commentator, told The Quint.

However, unlike the BJP's run-of-the-mill Hindutva push in the north (which it unsuccessfully attempted to invoke in Kerala during the Sabarimala agitation in 2018), Thrissur is witnessing a massive 'Christian outreach' by the party.

While Hindus – at 58.4 percent – are a majority in Thrissur district, it has a Christian population of 24.5 percent and a Muslim population of 17 percent. Apart from the Nairs, some sections of the Ezhavas – an OBC community – leaned towards the BJP when Ezhava leader Vellapalli Natesan's political outfit had an electoral understanding with the party in 2015. But political experts say this support has waned over the years.

"Although a minority, the Christian community here is very influential. They are aware that the BJP can't consolidate Hindu votes. That is why the party is undertaking a Christian outreach – not only in Thrissur but in all of Kerala."

Jacob George, political commentator

Gopi, before his daughter's wedding in January, had visited Our Lady of Lourdes Metropolitan Cathedral in Thrissur to present a golden crown to the Virgin Mary (which fell off the statue and broke, triggering social media reactions questioning the worth of the crown).  

He has also been visiting Christian churches and households as part of his campaign. He even went on to record an 'Easter song' for the Christian community with his wife Radhika Nair.

"There is no Christian outreach per se," claimed BJP Thrissur district president Aneesh Kumar. "The BJP has not shown any difference between Hindus, Muslims, or Christians. The changes are in their attitudes towards us. Mostly, it is Hindus who have been supporting the BJP, but now, we are slowly getting the support of the Christian community," he told The Quint.

Last year, a vicar of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church joined the saffron party in the Idukki district. This was followed by nearly 50 Christian families – led by a Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church priest – joining the BJP in Pathanamthitta. Besides, the Archbishop of Thrissur (Syro-Malabar Church), Andrews Thazhath, has met both the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the recent past.

Syrian Christians generally believe they are descendants of caste Hindus or Brahmins converted by St Thomas in AD 52. They are a dominant group in the north and mid-Kerala regions, including Thrissur.

"The Christians in Thrissur are largely traders. Even during the British rule, there weren't a lot of anti-establishment movements by Christians, and they are generally considered pro-establishment," George remarked.

But though the word 'Chrisanghi' has become popular in Kerala, George said whether the BJP's outreach would translate to votes is yet to be seen.

'Church or a Shiva Temple?'

"Suresh Gopi had been visiting church after church, but Christians won't vote for him. The minorities are worried. We decided we wouldn't support him when they started talking badly about the Palayoor Church," Joy told The Quint.

About a kilometre away from the famous Guruvayoor Temple in Thrissur – where the Prime Minister had attended Gopi's daughter's wedding – is Palayoor. Palayoor is famous for its St Thomas Major Archi Episcopal Shrine, widely believed to be the oldest church in the country built by St Thomas in AD 52.

A couple of months ago, while speaking to a news channel on the Gyanvapi Masjid row, a Hindu Aikya Vedi (HAV) leader in Kerala, RV Babu, had claimed that "this church was once a Shiva temple," triggering a backlash from the Christian community. 

Babu had later claimed on Facebook that his statements were being used "for political gains."

As The Quint visited the Syrian church in late March, we met a few believers who were waiting for the return of the Good Friday procession. "A lotus can't bloom in seawater. The BJP has understood that without the votes of Christians, they cannot make any headway in Kerala," said 80-year-old Rafael, a local businessman, seated on a parapet wall on the church premises.

Rafael, like Joy, said the HAV leader's statement was part of a "divisive agenda meant to invoke sentiments."

"My father bought land here from Hindus. Does that mean the previous owners can come and say that this land is theirs now? We were all born here, and we lived our life here. They want Christians and Muslims to leave. This is our country too," he said.

Seated next to Rafael, 71-year-old Varghese nodded in agreement. However, he was of the opinion that "a change is required in Thrissur."

"I am leaning towards Suresh Gopi this time because there needs to be a change. It shouldn't be just the Congress and the Communists in Kerala. Just a few people sitting in Parliament – what is the use? There should be a strong, united government at the Centre."

Varghese, 71

He said that if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre, "there will be too many prime ministers!"

"The Opposition is not united. Then how will they come to power? I am thinking of supporting the PM just for a change," Varghese – who claimed to be a UDF supporter all his life – told The Quint.

Rafael interjected, saying that "even Indira Gandhi thought she was invincible at one point. But she was defeated too." He, however, concurred that "a lack of alternatives might be prompting people, including those from the Christian community, to vote for the BJP."

"But the fact remains that there shouldn't be a government at the Centre that disrespects Christianity. The Constitution grants us the right to follow our religion; it should be respected. Right now, at the Centre, the government violates that. An example of this is Manipur. So many people died and so much property was destroyed. And despite that, the PM didn't even visit Manipur."

Rafael, local businessman

'Politics' Over Manipur Violence

The conflict in Manipur has also found a place in political discussions in Thrissur. A few weeks ago, when Suresh Gopi visited St Joseph's Church in Avinissery for campaigning, the vicar of the church, Fr Lijo Chalisserry, was seen questioning the BJP leader about Manipur. Several media outlets shared the viral video of Fr Chalissery asking: "The suffering of Christians is evident in Manipur ... Why did the Union government maintain silence? I am asking you because I have been hearing about their pain a lot."

When The Quint visited St Joseph's Church– located about 9 km from the centre of Thrissur – about a week after this incident, a young Fr Chalissery said he "has been asked not to comment on the issue any further."

"I shared my personal opinion with Suresh Gopi, someone took a video of it and shared it on social media platforms. Some media houses had claimed that I drove him away. That's not true. I mentioned the Manipur issue to him when he came, I asked him what we could do about it. It is my concern because I am also part of this community. I got an opportunity to ask him about this, so I did," Fr Lijo Chalissery said.

Speaking to The Quint at the BJP office in Thrissur, the party's Minority Morcha district president Tony Paul Chackola said that "in Manipur, the fight is between Kukis and Meiteis – not between Hindus and Christians."

He, however, claimed that "in both these communities, Christians are the majority." The majoritarian Meiteis in Manipur have a Hindu population of 83 percent and only about 1 percent of Christians. A vast majority of the tribal Kukis – about 98 percent – practise Christianity.

Chackola, an ex-army man, went on to say that Fr Chalissery's question to Gopi was a result of "his own political bias." 

Aneesh Kumar, meanwhile, told The Quint: "We have addressed Manipur, we are not running away from it. When the vicar shared his concerns about Manipur with us, we corrected him and told him exactly what happened."

He claimed that Manipur was not a poll issue among Christians in Thrissur and that it "won't adversely affect the BJP in the constituency. We have convinced the Christian community about the ground reality in Manipur. This is just a false narrative spread by the Left and Congress."  

The Suresh Gopi Factor

"I don't have any politics. I vote for whoever does good work – whatever is the common good. If we want Thrissur to be developed, Suresh Gopi will have to win," said 57-year-old Ramesh Iyer, who runs a garment store on Swaraj Round.

"This shop has been here for 80 years. And my parents and grandparents were all Congress supporters. But Suresh Gopi has a helping mentality, so it is my personal choice to vote for him," he added.

The actor who has played a wide range of roles in films – from sincere cop to angry cop and everything in between – fits the BJP archetype, but not entirely so. He was active in student politics in Left parties, and at one point, was even leaning towards the Congress. His philanthropic work in his hometown Thrissur and across Kerala and his stint as the host of 'Who Wants To Be a Millionare' also added to his star value. 

But Gopi is no stranger to controversies; last year, the actor was called out for "behaving inappropriately" with a woman journalist on camera. 

At one instance, Gopi had also said he was "envious of Brahmans and wanted to be reborn as a priest in his next life" so he could tend to Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala Temple, triggering controversy.

"His caste and gender prejudices are very clear – and he subscribes to the BJP's Hindutva politics. The words he is using, his antics, they are not fit for an MP," opined Dalex, a 22-year-old student based in Thrissur.

Speaking to The Quint, 23-year-old Shreya, a law student and a second-time voter, said that while she doesn't subscribe to Gopi's politics, "his popularity among her peers and the older generation has increased."

Twenty-two-year-old Maheshwari, another student, remarked that "this may be because of the BJP's narrative that Suresh Gopi becoming an MP would help Thrissur get more funding from the Centre, where the party is likely to come to power."

Shreya opined that of the three candidates, Sunil Kumar appeared the most "people-friendly" and "worthy." However, she added "the public is upset with the LDF government in Kerala. They are not doing enough."

Thirty-four-year-old Rafeek PK, an expat who has worked in Qatar for over seven years, concurred that while he has always been an LDF supporter, the state government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's alleged involvement in corruption cases has upset voters like him.

"I returned to Kerala, hoping to find a decent job here. But I regret it now. The state of employment here is pathetic. But I will have to support the Left government because there are no alternatives."

Rafeek PK

Congress' Muraleedharan, meanwhile, has been described as a "moderate candidate" by several voters The Quint spoke to. This is despite the fact that the Congress in Kerala has been accused of siding with the BJP in matters of minority rights. Muraleedharan had contested from Thrissur Lok Sabha in 1998 and had lost. 

Congress district president Jose Valloor told The Quint: "In 1998, the political situation was different. That is not the case now. In this age of social media, people are more equipped to learn about their candidates. Muraleedharan is our most winnable candidate; he has support from the majority and the minority communities."

Muraleedharan's candidacy in Thrissur was announced shortly after his sister Padmaja Venugopal moved to the BJP. "This will not have any adverse impact on the Congress," Valoor asserted.