Thrissur (Kerala) | Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday said Alappuzha, a district he described as having been "destroyed by Communist ideologies," should get an All India Institute of Medical Sciences to aid its reconstruction and development.

Speaking during an interaction programme at Puthurkkara in the central district, Gopi said he had been demanding an AIIMS in Alappuzha even before becoming the MP of Thrissur.

He added, "I have only one father", underscoring that there was no change in his demand for an AIIMS in Alappuzha.

The minister clarified that neither he nor the union government had promised that Thrissur would get the premier medical facility.

"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 in response to a question.

Considering geographical factors and functionality, he said, "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," Gopi added.

He urged all Malayalis, including the people of Thrissur, to support the demand, saying, "There is no regionalism or politics in this."