Kerala Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan on Thursday strongly defended his ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and accused the BJP of trying to divide the state through hate campaigns.
"The IUML is an important ally of the UDF and played a crucial role in this victory. Weakening the Muslim League will only create space for extremist forces," he told reporters.
Satheesan's response came a day after the BJP said that he was selected to the top post following the influence of the IUML and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Satheesan, who emerged victorious in a 3-way battle for the coveted Chief Minister's post in Kerala on Thursday, said the League had historically stood with the Congress-led alliance since the days of former chief minister K Karunakaran and warned against attempts to isolate the party.
He said there would be "no compromise" on secular values or against hate politics.
"We will not allow Kerala to be divided. Future generations should live in harmony. We will oppose any attempt to destroy that spirit at any cost," he said.
Referring to social media campaigns against him, Satheesan said criticism against him personally was acceptable, but communal remarks should not be tolerated.
"If people dislike me personally, they can say so. I can correct myself. But do not spread communalism," he said.
The 61-year-old leader also accused the BJP of running hate campaigns at both the national and state levels.
"This election verdict was Kerala's message to the country that we stand for secularism. We will not allow even a scratch on that idea," he said.
BJP's IUML Charge After VD Satheesan Chosen As Kerala Chief Minister
The BJP's Kerala president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, had alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami and IUML "chose" VD Satheesan as the Kerala chief minister.
"Today after 11 days of haggling, Cong led UDF announces its Chief Minister in Keralam. It is every party's perogative (sic) to choose its CM nominee. But what is shocking and worrying is that it was the Jamaat Islami + Muslim league that decided the Keralam CM," he wrote on X.
"Ever since the Cong openly entered into a political alliance with the anti-Democracy, Anti-Constitution Jamaat Islami, I have cautioned about the dangers of allowing these anti-secular, dangerous forces access to mainstream politics and governance," Chandrasekhar, who is one of the three BJP leaders who won the April 9 assembly elections, said.
"This is a serious danger to Keralam and India. Makes every Malayalee feel unsafe and vulnerable," he said.
Congress, which won 63 of the 140 seats, on Thursday ended days of suspense and chose VD Satheesan as the next chief minister. AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala were the other two contenders in the race for the top post.
A decision on the chief minister had been pending since May 4, when the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 102 of the total seats, securing more than a two-thirds majority.
