Malappuram (Kerala) [India], June 16 (ANI): BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday criticised the Congress party over its alleged association with Jamaat-e-Islami in the upcoming Nilambur Assembly bypoll and accused the party of playing 'opportunistic' politics.

Speaking to ANI, Chandrasekhar said, 'The people of India must follow the politics of Rahul's Congress that is being played out here in Nilambur. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra came to Nilambur yesterday to campaign, and she had no words to talk about the obvious contradictions of the Congress party that waves a constitution on one hand and enters into a political alliance with separatists, terror-supporting organisation Jamaat-e-Islami... She comes here but doesn't say a word about the future of the people of this place, but speaks about problems in Gaza and Iran for her petty politics...'

After Jamaat-e-Islami announced its support to UDF candidate, the BJP leader further said that going into a 'political alliance' with a 'radical' organisation like Jamaat-e-Islami exposes Congress' 'double standards, lies and opportunist politics.'

Chandrasekhar stated, 'Why is Rahul's Congress getting into alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami... Jamaat-e-Islami is an organisation that invited Hamas to speak to the youth of Kerala. It is the organisation that supported terrorist Ajmal Kasaab. It is an organisation that did not speak one word against Pakistani terrorists in the recent killings in Pahalgam. This is the desperate politics of Rahul's Congress. Going into a political alliance with a known radical organisation like Jamaat-e-Islami is a fact that people of India should know and expose the double standards and the lies and opportunist politics of Congress.'

Highlighting BJP's position in the by-election, he said that the party has put a vision of 'Viksit Nilambur' which is part of broader 'Viksit Keralam'.

Chandrashekhar added, 'As far as BJP is concerned for the Nilambur, we have put forward a vision of 'Viksit Nilambur' which is big part of 'Viksit Keralam', a vision we have built for Kerala. We believe all the people of Nilambur deserve development, job and opportunities...'

In the Nilambur by election, Jamaat-e-Islami announced their support for UDF candidate.

On June 15, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a roadshow in Nilambur to campaign for the Congress candidate in the upcoming Nilambur Assembly bypoll. The visit is seen as a major boost for the Congress, which is working to secure a win for its candidate Aryadan Shoukath (UDF candidate).

Nilambur bye-polls are set to happen on June 19, with counting on June 29.

The elections were necessitated after the resignation of PV Anvar, an LDF-backed MLA, who stepped down in January after making several allegations against the Left government in the state. However, Anvar is going to contest the elections under the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) banner.

Anvar will be going up against National Democratic Alliance candidate Michael George.

The byelection has political significance as it is a precursor to next year's state assembly election and will test the popularity of the current government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (ANI)