Renowned Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Gopi on Wednesday said NDA candidate and actor Suresh Gopi did not require anyone's permission to meet him.

Suresh Gopi and Kalamandalam Gopi have been close acquaintances for a long time. “He does not need anyone's permission to see me or come to my house. He's always welcome. Similarly, those who love me can always come to see me,'' Gopi clarified in a social media post.

After a social media post by Gopi's son Raghu Gurukripa stirred a huge debate, Suresh Gopi said that he would meet Gopi if no one played spoilsport.

"The recent social media post by Raghu Gurukripa, claiming that I sought his father Kalamandalam Gopi's blessings for a Padma Bhushan in return is baseless. I want to clarify that I never instructed anyone to contact Kalamandalam Gopi. He is my mentor. The party has outlined whom to meet in the constituency. I also desire to meet Gopi asan to seek his blessings. If I'm denied permission, I will visualise him in my mind and make an offering in Guruvayur," Suresh Gopi had said.

Gopi's son Gurukripa, in the now-deleted post, alleged that a famous doctor called his father and said that Suresh Gopi would come to his house seeking his blessings. Raghu retracted the post amidst widespread discussion. Gopi resides in Peramangalam, which falls in the Alathur Lok Sabha constituency.

"When my father informed the doctor that the BJP was not welcome, the doctor asked him (Kalamandalam Gopi) whether he wanted the Padma Bhushan or not," Gurukripa alleged in the post, screenshots of which were also circulated widely on social media. He also alleged that many VIPs are trying to woo his father for Suresh Gopi. Eighty-seven-year-old Kalamandalam Gopi is renowned for his captivating and emotive portrayal of virtuous roles in Kathakali, with notable performances including Nalan and Karnan.