India News | Kerala Polls: Rajeev Chandrasekhar Defends BJP Leader B Gopalakrishnan Against MCC Breach Case
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday defended the party's candidate in the Guruvayur Assembly Constituency, B Gopalakrishnan, against the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) breach case, saying he asked voters a question, which did not amount to hate speech.
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 23 (ANI): Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday defended the party's candidate in the Guruvayur Assembly Constituency, B Gopalakrishnan, against the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) breach case, saying he asked voters a question, which did not amount to hate speech.
Speaking to ANI, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that B Gopalakrishnan was not wrong when he asked voters, "Shouldn't there be a Hindu MLA in Guruvayur?"
"B Gopalakrishnan is saying the holy town of Guruvayur, where Lord Guruvayurappan's temple is. Shouldn't there be a Hindu MLA? How is that hate speech? He's asking a question of the voters. Can you imagine today in the Vatican, there being a Hindu MP? Will anybody allow in Mecca, a public representative to be a non-muslim? Gopalakrishnan ji is asking a question: Isn't it better for the voters to have a Hindu Guruvayurappan Vishwasi representing them in the holy town of Guruvayur? I don't see anything wrong with that question," the BJP leader said.
This comes after election authorities in Kerala initiated legal proceedings against BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan for allegedly making controversial remarks during his election campaign and over allegations of breaching the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Also Read | India's Piped Gas Surge: Over 3.5 Lakh PNG Connections Issued in March, Says Government.
According to a press release from the office of CEO Rathan U Kelkar, the Thrissur District Collector took action based on a complaint regarding controversial remarks made by the BJP leader.
The CEO directed that a case be registered under Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, along with relevant provisions of the Model Code of Conduct laid down by the Election Commission.
Authorities found that a video shared by the leader allegedly violated MCC norms, which prohibit seeking votes based on caste or communal sentiments and the use of religious places such as temples, mosques, or churches for election campaigning. Following the directive, the video has been removed from social media platforms, and an FIR has been registered at the Guruvayur Temple Police Station.
The Model Code of Conduct came into place with the announcement of the election schedule on March 15.
Meanwhile, in the run-up to the Kerala Assembly elections, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) has pushed the state to bankruptcy, with students and job seekers leaving the state.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "We are confident about what the people want. We are hearing from the people directly that they are fed up with this Communist Party of India (Marxist) kind of politics that has taken them nowhere. It has taken people into a dead end where children have to go outside the state for studying, and people have to go outside the state for jobs. Farmers are devastated, and the entire coastal economy has been devastated. There is no development; the state is bankrupt. The people of the state want MLAs who can work for them instead of having MLAs who sit around for 20-25 years squatting in the assembly doing nothing."
Invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in the Centre, he said, "We are asking the public that if you give us an opportunity, we will serve you in the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji is serving India. We will solve problems that have haunted people for years and decades."
The polling for the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled to take place on May 4. The tenure of the current assembly is scheduled to end on May 23.
The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front will look to defend its power against the Congress-led United Democratic Front. With a historic win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation polls, the BJP is also looking to make inroads in the state and open their account. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)