Amid ongoing political sparring in Kerala ahead of the local body elections, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday (November 7) acknowledged that he had indeed met leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami earlier—an organisation he has recently been criticising heavily.

Responding to questions at a 'meet the press' event held at the Kozhikode Press Club, Vijayan said the meeting took place at the CPI(M) state committee office after the organisation sought an appointment with him, news agency PTI reported.

“They asked for an opportunity to meet me, so they came to the CPI(M) state committee office. But I did not give them any good certificate during the meeting,” Vijayan said.

According to him, Jamaat-e-Islami representatives spent much of the discussion attempting to explain their position, and leaders from the Solidarity Youth Movement were also present.

“When they introduced the Solidarity leader, I told them to their face that they are the biggest antisocial elements now. They were shocked by my response,” he said.

Vijayan defended his blunt remarks, saying they stemmed from what he described as Solidarity’s opposition to “all good initiatives in the state.”

“We do not hesitate to speak the truth—not then, not now,” he added.

Jamaat-e-Islami, whose youth wing is the Solidarity Youth Movement, has been under constant attack from the CPI(M) and the ruling LDF, who allege that the organisation maintains close ties with the UDF.

The UDF, however, has countered these accusations by pointing out that the CPI(M) and LDF themselves engaged with Jamaat-e-Islami in earlier years and had sought its support during previous elections.