New Delhi: Suresh Gopi, who scripted an unprecedented win for the NDA from the Thrissur constituency, took charge as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas at Shastri Bhavan here on Tuesday morning. He will be assuming charge at the Ministry of Tourism shortly.

He will be reporting to Hardeep Singh Puri and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Ministers of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Tourism respectively.

Suresh Gopi said that he would do his best to support his cabinet ministers and Prime minister. He also thanked the people of Thrissur and Kollam for their support.

Actor-politician Gopi, who was expected to be given a cabinet rank, had claimed that he wanted to be relieved of ministership because of his commitments with the movie industry. He is the first BJP MP from Kerala.

Goerge Kurian, the second Minister of State from Kerela, will also take charge in the Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on Wednesday.