In his first major address since being elected as the first-ever BJP MLA from Kollam district, B.B. Gopakumar said that political leadership must show the basic courtesy of respecting the people’s mandate. Speaking on Saturday (May 9, 2026), Mr. Gopakumar stated that his victory in Chathannur was the culmination of a decade-long relationship with the electorate, which has seen him rise from a consistent runner-up to the top spot. He added that the enlightened voters of Chathannur, who had placed him second in the last two terms, decided this time to grant him the responsibility of representing them, driven by their affection and desire for change.

Addressing the local developmental crisis, Mr. Gopakumar observed that the constituency faces multifaceted challenges that vary across different sectors. “Having interacted extensively with the public during the campaign, I came across specific grievances of the working class, particularly those in the struggling cashew industry. I will be working hard for the general welfare of Chathannur by integrating the resources of the Union government, State government, and the three-tier panchayat raj system. A key priority in my legislative agenda will be the vigorous pursuit of the long-standing demand for the formation of Chathannur taluk,” he said.

Mr. Gopakumar also launched a sharp counter-offensive against the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) allegations of a secret deal between the CPI(M) and the BJP in Chathannur and Kottarakara. He questioned why the UDF could not retain the massive vote share it secured during the previous Lok Sabha elections in Chathannur. Referring to N.K. Premachandran’s performance a year ago, Mr. Gopakumar asked why those votes did not reflect in the current Assembly polls or the local body elections. “Instead of looking for hidden deals, the UDF should introspect on its own failure to hold onto its base. If shifts in vote share were the only criteria for alleging deals, then UDF’s victory in the Kollam seat, where LDF votes supposedly dropped, could be framed in the same light.” He added that the LDF’s decision to change its candidate actually helped the Left avoid a more crushing defeat, suggesting his victory margin would have been even higher had the incumbent remained.