Will Quit Politics if AIIMS Not Established Within 5 Years, says Kerala Minister Suresh Gopi

Gopi indicated he might consider another location, potentially in central Kerala, to serve a broader region including Kottayam, Idukki, Cumbum, Theni, and Madurai

Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Tourism, Suresh Gopi, has stated he will leave politics if the Central government does not establish an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kerala within the next five years.

The announcement was made during the Manorama News Conclave 2024 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Suresh Gopi, the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, made the declaration amid criticism over the exclusion of Kerala's long-standing demand for an AIIMS in the recent Union budget, despite his earlier assurances that it was a priority for him.

AIIMS is a group of autonomous government medical universities under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Kerala remains one of the few states without one.

Suresh Gopi emphasized that the state must fulfill all necessary parameters for AIIMS to be allotted.

"AIIMS will come up in the most suitable place. The state should come forward meeting all the parametres in a satisfying manner. Even after that if the state doesn't get an AIIMS, then I will quit politics," he said.

The Kerala government has suggested Kinalur in Kozhikode as the preferred site for the institute.

However, Gopi indicated he might consider another location, potentially in central Kerala, to serve a broader region including Kottayam, Idukki, Cumbum, Theni, and Madurai (in Tamil Nadu).

"When the institute comes up it should be beneficial for the people in the stretch covering Kottayam and Idukki to Cumbum, Theni and Madurai (in Tamil Nadu)," he said.

He also mentioned that the Union Ministry is preparing new modules to align with changing trends in international tourism, suggesting that with the right approach, Kerala could become the country's top tourist destination.

Kerala's Health Minister, Veena George, also expressed her disappointment that the Union Budget 2024 failed to include an AIIMS facility for the state, despite Kerala meeting all necessary criteria.

She highlighted that Kerala has been advocating for an AIIMS facility in Kinalur, Kozhikode, for over a decade, but the matter remains under consideration by the Union Finance Ministry.