Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister and veteran CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan intensified his criticism of the Congress, accusing the party’s general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, of contesting the Wayanad by-election with backing from Jamaat-e-Islami. The by-election in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency was triggered after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat, opting to retain Raebareli.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Vijayan argued that the by-election “has exposed the Congress party’s secular mask completely.” He asserted that Priyanka Gandhi’s campaign “with the backing of Jamaat-e-Islami” raises questions about the Congress’s ideological position, questioning whether the organisation’s ideology aligns with democratic values.

Vijayan Condemns Jamaat-e-Islami’s Involvement

Vijayan accused Jamaat-e-Islami of lacking respect for India’s democracy and governance structures, claiming that it operates politically under the facade of the Welfare Party. “Jamaat-e-Islami has historically disregarded democratic elections in Jammu and Kashmir and holds strong sectarian views,” he said, adding that the organisation previously collaborated with the BJP in Kashmir, attempting to defeat CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

“The Jamaat-e-Islami aimed to unseat Tarigami, aligning with the BJP in this objective,” Vijayan stated, commending voters for re-electing Tarigami despite the “extremist and BJP alliance.” He further questioned the Congress’s association with Jamaat-e-Islami, highlighting its ideological inconsistency between Wayanad and Kashmir.

Congress Challenged on Secular Stance

Targeting the Congress, Vijayan asked, “Can Congress reject Jamaat-e-Islami’s votes? Shouldn’t those who stand for secularism oppose all forms of sectarianism?” He suggested that Congress and its allies, including the Muslim League, may be compromising their secular ideals to maintain alliances with Jamaat-e-Islami.

Referring to a previous by-election in Thalassery, Vijayan recalled late Marxist leader EMS Namboodiripad’s statement: “We do not want RSS votes.” He questioned whether Congress could adopt a similar stance against communal affiliations.

Vijayan reiterated his stance at a by-election campaign rally in support of Left candidate Sathyan Mokeri of the CPI in Wayanad. The BJP has fielded Kozhikode Corporation Councillor Navya Haridas as its candidate for the seat.

The Wayanad by-election is scheduled for November 13.

With PTI inputs