Kerala chief minister-designate VD Satheesan on Friday backed his party’s ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and promised to fight attempts to polarise the state, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the regional party influenced the Congress’s decision to choose him for the top job.
“The BJP carried out such communal propaganda during the elections too. The IUML is a major constituent of the UDF and played a key role in the UDF victory. The IUML is being singled out for attack through this hate campaign to create divisions in society. If the IUML weakens, communal parties will take its space,” Satheesan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
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Satheesan made the remarks after the BJP state unit claimed on social media that the IUML leadership influenced the decision to choose the CM.
The BJP has claimed that Satheesan was chosen as the CM due to the IUML’s support despite the former lacking a majority among the legislative party. Satheesan along with senior colleagues KC Venuogopal and Ramesh Chennithala were contenders for the CM’s post.
