Campaign blues: NDA, LDF candidates in Thrissur face social media backlash

What made this seemingly innocent post controversial was the actor’s status as the brand ambassador of the Election Commission of India’s SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation) programme for Kerala.

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‘This Gopi is not that Gopi’

Raghu began his Facebook post — which he later deleted — alleging that some VIPs tried to influence his father in favour of Suresh Gopi. He then stated, “This Gopi is not that Gopi”.

Kalamandalam Gopi is the last of the living Kathakali performers appointed by Vallathol Narayana Menon. (Hareesh N Nampoothiri/Wikimedia Commons)

“Please don’t lose the love and respect we have for you,” he added.

The maestro’s son said he only came to know that some were trying to lend a helping hand with certain interests.

“Everyone has their political affiliations. That’s not for temporary gains. It’s rooted in your hearts. Please don’t exploit the admiration we have for you,” he wrote.

A recipient of the Padma Shri in 2009, 86-year-old Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair — popularly known as Kalamandalam Gopi — is the last of the living Kathakali performers appointed by Vallathol Narayana Menon, one of the triumvirate of modern Malayalam poetry and founder of Kerala Kalamandalam.

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‘Don’t you want Padma Bhushan?’

Raghu then revealed that a prominent doctor contacted his father (Kalamandalam Gopi) over the phone and informed him that Suresh Gopi would visit him to seek his blessings.

Raghu’s Facebook post which was later deleted. (Facebook)

“My father had reservations in saying no to this doctor and so he deputed me. I called him and informed him that my father was not interested. But he asked who I am, and asked to let Gopiasan (as Kalamandalam Gopi is known) say that (the refusal),” Raghu said in the deleted post.

Raghu said his father called the doctor and expressed his disinterest in the actor-politician’s visit.

The doctor then asked, “Asan, don’t you want Padma Bhushan?”

To this, Raghu said, Gopiasan responded: “I don’t want it that way.”

Raghu concluded his post by saying that neither the BJP nor the Congress should now visit the house in the name of helping and the post should be considered as a request.

Later, Gopiasan put out a video message on social media, requesting voters to cast their votes for K Radhakrishnan, the LDF candidate in the Alathur Lok Sabha constituency

The maestro said he knew Radhakrishnan well, and that they were good friends.

“I request all to vote Radhakrishnan. I knew Radhakrishnan, his personality, his work ethic, and his engagements with the people. It’s from that understanding that I am requesting you to vote for Radhakrishnan,” he said.

‘Asked no one to call Gopiasan’

Responding to Raghu’s post, former Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi told reporters that neither he nor the party had asked anyone to call Gopiasan. “I am unaware of the revelations made in the post,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Left-leaning Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham, an organisation of artists, writers, and cultural enthusiasts in the state, lauded Gopiasan for upholding the integrity of an artist. It also pointed out that Gopiasan’s act would demolish any perception that artists chased recognition and awards.

Also read: Tovino Thomas is now brand ambassador for Election Commission’s SVEEP campaign

A pic that didn’t go well

In the case of Sunilkumar, he shared some pics with actor Tovino Thomas after the former visited him at a film shooting location. He posted the photo with the caption that Tovino had wished him luck and expressed gratitude to the 2018 – Everyone is a Hero actor.

Sunilkumar (right) shared some pics with actor Tovino Thomas after the former visited him at a film shooting location. (Supplied)

The LDF candidate later deleted the post captioned “Thrissur’s shining heroes’ as the actor said on X that it was against the law to use his photograph in the election campaign.

Tovino, who recently bagged the Best Actor award at the Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal for his performance in Adrishya Jalakangal, said that since he was the ambassador for the Election Commission’s SVEEP programme for Kerala, “it is against the law to use my photo or a photo including me for any kind of election campaigning.”

“In case somebody is using it, I wish to clarify that it is without my knowledge or consent,” the actor further stated.

Tovino ended his post by wishing everyone a fair election experience.

Later, Sunilkumar said that he was not aware that Tovino was the SVEEP programme’s ambassador and he had asked to withdraw the post.

“We are good friends. He may not have reservations about posting the pic with him. But some party workers used that pic to create posters. That issue is now a closed chapter as the posts were deleted,” said Sunilkumar.

The BJP has high hopes of winning Thrissur and thus opening its account in the Lok Sabha from Kerala. K Muraleedharan of the Congress is the UDF candidate in the constituency.

(Edited by Majnu Babu)