We don’t need Congress or CPM’s jihadi politics to teach us about secularism: BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, accusing him of hypocrisy over allegations of links with Jamaat-e-Islami and charging the Left with indulging in what he termed “jihadi politics.”

Speaking to ANI, Chandrasekhar said, “This is not only ironic, but also very hypocritical that a Chief Minister who has had a long-standing relationship with the Jamaat-e-Islami is the one who has been hobnobbing with radical Islamic elements... The secularism of this state and country will not be decided by Marxist ideologues and Jamaat-e-Islami supporters like Pinarayi Vijayan, V D Satheesan or Rahul Gandhi.... We don't need either the Congress's or the CPM's jihadi politics to come and teach us about secularism...”

His remarks came a day after Vijayan criticised UDF leaders over their alleged links with Jamaat-e-Islami, triggering a political slugfest in the state.

Hitting back, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala accused the Chief Minister of deliberately trying to divide people along communal lines. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Chennithala alleged that Vijayan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were competing with each other in pursuing divisive politics.

He said the British colonial rulers had first adopted the divide-and-rule policy in India and accused the Chief Minister of following the same tactic now.

“The Chief Minister is trying to divide people on communal lines to remain in power. What is happening in Kerala today is that Pinarayi Vijayan is competing with Narendra Modi in divisive politics,” he said.

He claimed the only question now was who would come first in this race.

“The Kerala Chief Minister is adamant on winning this race,” he added.

Chennithala said he had earlier described the BJP and the CPM as enemies who secretly helped each other, but now believed they were close friends strengthening one another.

He alleged that since 2016, the Chief Minister had allowed the BJP to gain ground in Kerala, which he said was reflected in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when BJP leader Suresh Gopi won from Thrissur, and later in the BJP winning the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in the 2025 local body polls, which he attributed to poor CPM governance.

“Now the Chief Minister appears determined to help the BJP get MLAs from Kerala. What Modi desires, Vijayan implements,” he alleged.

Chennithala further claimed that the CPM had historically relied on the BJP to counter the Congress in Kerala. Referring to the 1977 Assembly elections, he alleged that Vijayan won from Koothuparamba with the support of Jan Sangh and RSS votes.

He also claimed that similar understandings were evident in the Uduma constituency during past elections and alleged CPM–RSS cooperation during the Emergency period.

He alleged that during the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP transferred votes to the CPM in more than 60 constituencies, which, he claimed, resulted in the defeat of the UDF.

“UDF is a secular front and it will not compromise its values for a few seats. After seeing the people's support for the UDF in the local body elections, the Chief Minister has now resorted to communal polarisation,” he said.

Chennithala accused Vijayan of reopening old wounds by repeatedly referring to the Marad communal riots in recent statements. Vijayan had on Thursday accused the Congress of mishandling communal forces after the Marad riots that took place during the AK Antony government, while CPM leader A K Balan recently remarked that riots similar to Marad would occur if the UDF returned to power.

“By repeatedly mentioning the Marad riots, the Chief Minister is rubbing salt into Kerala's grave injuries and creating divisions among the people,” Chennithala said.

He dismissed CPM claims that communal riots would recur if the UDF came back to power.

“When Oommen Chandy was Chief Minister, Kerala witnessed peace and harmony. There has never been another period when people lived together so peacefully,” he said.

Chennithala also alleged that the LDF was the first to seek the support of Jamaat-e-Islami.

He denied reports that the UDF had begun seat-sharing discussions and ruled out any talks with LDF ally Kerala Congress (Mani) on returning to the UDF.