Concerned about the potential alienation of Hindu and Christian voters and fearing backlash in North India, the Congress leadership in Kerala has decided to reject the support extended by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) to the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to media persons at Indira Bhavan here on Thursday, Opposition leader VD Satheesan and acting KPCC president MM Hassan asserted that the party does not seek or desire support from the SDPI. They emphasised that people are free to exercise their voting rights without any influence or pressure.

Satheesan said that the Congress has rejected both majority and minority communalism as it considers them as two sides of the same coin. “Citizens vote as individuals, and the UDF hopes to get their endorsement on the merit of its manifesto and political agenda,” he said.

The Congress leadership is concerned about the potential alienation of Hindu and Christian voters due to the announcement of support from the SDPI, which is widely perceived as the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). They also fear that accepting support from the SDPI could potentially trigger a backlash against the Congress party, particularly in North India.

The Congress had drawn intense flak from the BJP and the CPI-M for accepting the support of the SDPI, which is widely perceived as the political outfit of the banned PFI.

BJP’s Kerala unit president K Surendran had on Tuesday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to explain his party’s stance on accepting the support of the SDPI for UDF candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala.

“The Wayanad MP, who speaks about secularism day in and day out, should explain how Congress accepts the support of a terrorist organisation trained abroad to commit murders,” Surendran said.

CPI-M’s Kerala unit secretary MV Govindan alleged that the fear of defeat had driven the UDF into embracing communal forces.

The SDPI had on Monday announced that it would support the Congress-led UDF in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. SDPI’s Kerala unit president Ashraf Moulavi said that they had decided to support the Congress as it is leading the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc against the BJP at the national level.