'Thrissur Pooram' row: Union minister Suresh Gopi challenges Kerala govt to initiate CBI probe

Thiruvananthapuram: 'Thrissur Pooram' row is snowballing again in Kerala with union minister of state and BJP's maiden Lok Sabha MP from the state Suresh Gopi challenging the CPM government in Kerala to initiate a CBI probe into the allegations over the pooram in April this year.

Gopi's statement assumed more significance as he had won the Lok Sabha election in Thrissur as BJP candidate and the row over disruption caused to the 'pooram' just ahead of the LS poll was said to have helped the BJP with a Hindu vote consolidation.

Speaking at a BJP's campaign meeting for Chelakkara assembly by-poll in Thrissur on Monday, Gopi denied the allegation that he reached the venue of the pooram in an ambulance amidst the disruption.

"I reached the Pooram venue in the BJP district president's car.. Pinarayi's (Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's) police won't be able to find out the truth. I challenge the Kerala government to handover the probe to the CBI to bring out the truth," he said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister came out with a statement that the opposition parties were unleashing a misleading campaign that the entire pooram was disrupted even as the fact was that the events like the concluding fireworks were only slightly disrupted. Based on the ongoing investigations stringent actions would be initiated, said the Chief Minister in a statement.

The statement came in the wake of the row over the Chief Minister's recent statement that there was not much disruption in the Thrissur Pooram. Even CPI, which is a key coalition partner of the CPM, openly countered the Chief Minister's statement.