Thrissur (Keralam) | Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi on Thursday praised Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan and the UDF government for cooperating with projects he had proposed, saying the support extended to him was not available during the previous Left front government.

Speaking to reporters, Gopi said there had been a change in the approach towards projects since the new government came to power.

"Look, now regarding projects, ever since the new government came to power, the chief minister has been very cooperative. Whatever is requested from the chief minister, he responds immediately," he said.

"The support that a chief minister should give to an MP or a union minister for making things available to the public-which wasn't available for the last 10 years-is now being received," Gopi said.

The Thrissur MP said three projects under the Swadesh Darshan scheme were among his "dream" projects and were secured after he became a central minister.

"In the files signed after I became a minister in Swadesh Darshan 2024, three projects were my pet projects. And they gave it. It wasn't there initially. It was fought for and secured," he said.

Similarly, regarding the Thrissur Sakthan Market and two other projects, Gopi said the departments concerned had come forward after the CM gave an ultimatum.

"One has been received, and two more are yet to be obtained," he said.

Asked about the LDF's allegation of a tie-up between the Congress-led UDF and the BJP, Gopi said no politics should be seen in the government's cooperation on development projects.

"If Thrissur gets a project worth Rs 99.7 crore under Swadesh Darshan, that translates directly into the lives of the people and the lives of the merchants. If I say the chief minister supported and backed this, you don't need to twist it and take it down another way," he said.