Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala BJP leaders have distanced the party from its only MP from the state and Union minister Suresh Gopi over his demand for establishing All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Alappuzha, The Indian Express reported.
An AIIMS in Kerala has been a longstanding demand by the Kerala government, and it has set aside 150 acres of land for the same in Kozhikode’s Kinalur, but BJP MP Gopi wanted the project to be established in Alappuzha.
"I have said what I had to say. I have only one stand. It is the same as I stated in 2016," the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, PTI reported.
His stance of calling for the superior medical institution in Alappuzha was termed as his "personal view" by his own party colleagues. They said that it is the Centre that should decide where the institution must be set up.
On Thursday, BJP state general secretary MT Ramesh had said that the party welcomes the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) anywhere in Kerala.
Ramesh said it was his personal opinion regarding Gopi's demand.
The BJP leader had said it was for the Centre to decide the location of the premier medical institute based on specific parameters and consultations with the state government.
On Friday, BJP leader and former Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan spoke along similar lines, saying that the party's state unit will not be deciding where in Kerala an AIIMS should be set up.
"It is for the central government to decide. The state government has already submitted its proposed location. The Centre will decide on that," he said.
He further said that it was not the BJP's way "to mix politics and development."