Kollam: Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Thursday said that the CPM veteran and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had once in the past invited him to join the party, but he had declined.

Gopi, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, addressing an event here said: "Let him (Vijayan) deny it if he can. I said to him that I cannot join the party as I do not like politics. That was what I told all political leaders."

However, due to certain incidents on August 2, 2014, he was forced to enter politics, Gopi said. He did not elaborate on the incidents.

"The CPM tried to support me, but they could not," he claimed.

PTI