Alappuzha (Kerala): Union Minister and Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi on Sunday reiterated his long-standing demand for establishing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Alappuzha, stating that the district deserves the institution to aid its reconstruction and development.

Speaking at an interaction programme held at Puthurkkara in the central Kerala district, Gopi described Alappuzha as a region “destroyed by Communist ideologies” and said the premier medical facility would help revive its fortunes.

“I have been demanding an AIIMS for Alappuzha even before becoming the MP of Thrissur. I have only one father, and there is no change in my demand,” the minister asserted, emphasising that his stand remains consistent.

Clarifying recent debates over the possible location of the medical institute, Gopi said neither he nor the Union government had promised that Thrissur would get AIIMS. “As an MP, it is my right to ask for an AIIMS in Thrissur. But if the Centre says there is only one AIIMS for the state, then I should act as a Malayali. In my opinion, Idukki and Alappuzha are in the worst situation,” he said.

Comparing districts based on need, Gopi noted that both Idukki and Alappuzha were lagging behind in terms of development. “Among the two districts, it should come in Alappuzha." "Alappuzha is a district which has been destroyed by Communism. So, to uplift it from underdevelopment and for its overall rehabilitation, the AIIMS should come into the district,” he added.

Calling for unity among Malayalis, the minister appealed to citizens across the state, including those from his constituency, to support the demand. “There is no regionalism or politics in this,” Gopi said.