The Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam announced him as a candidate for Thiruthuraipoondi (state assembly constituency) in the 2011 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly elections but soon withdrew the candidacy before the elections in favor for then alliance party Communist Party of India.

[9] Standing Committee[10][11] Consultative Committee Gopal has on multiple occasions brought up the crimes committed against SC/ST communities in the parliament and has discussed welfare of Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, differently abled persons with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.The government tabled the SC/ST amendment Bill in Lok Sabha, it was unanimously passed by the House.

Gopal said "a comprehensive law on the lines of US and UK to declare caste panchayats unlawful."

Gopal comes down heavily on cow vigilantism, so-called honour killing, especially Bhima Koregaon violence and Una flogging row.

He said "It is unfortunate such incidents are happening when India will be celebrating her 72nd Independence Day,"[12][13] He has discussed with the Indian council of agricultural research regarding the welfare of women in agriculture in order to generate trained women in Agriculture field with the capability to carry out research in entrepreneur oriented areas.He had met and discussed with the then railway minister to re-route Chemmozhi express (Mannargudi-Coimbatore),(coimbatore-mannargudi), (mannargudi-manamadurai) to be operated from Tiruvarur.