BJP Kerala state President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday, 6 November launched a sharp attack on Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of practising 'double standards' — championing constitutional values and secularism on national platforms while his party allegedly pursues a contradictory political line in Kerala. The remarks were made in Thiruvananthapuram and drew immediate attention ahead of the state's evolving political landscape.

The Core Allegation

Chandrasekhar, one of only three BJP MLAs in Kerala, contended that Gandhi frequently invokes constitutional values, democracy, secularism, and the rights of women and youth when speaking at the national level. However, he argued that the Congress party's political conduct in Kerala tells an entirely different story.

Specifically, Chandrasekhar alleged that the Congress maintains an open political understanding with Jamaat-e-Islami in Kerala — an organisation he described as opposed to the Constitution and secular principles. He also linked the outfit to what he termed political unrest in Bangladesh, escalating the charge beyond a domestic political dispute.

IUML Tie-Up and 'Religion' Remarks

The BJP leader also questioned the Congress party's dependence on the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key partner in the United Democratic Front (UDF). Chandrasekhar alleged that some IUML ministers had openly declared their sole political objective to be 'religion, religion, religion' — a characterisation he said was at odds with the secular posturing Gandhi maintains in Delhi.

This comes amid broader national debates about the role of religion-based political mobilisation, and critics of the BJP counter that the party itself regularly deploys religious identity in electoral campaigns.

PM SHRI Scheme and Education Controversy

Taking aim at Gandhi's repeated emphasis on the future of India's youth, Chandrasekhar alleged that the Congress-led government in Kerala had refused to implement the PM SHRI education scheme — a centrally sponsored initiative aimed at improving the quality of education in government schools. He claimed the party yielded to pressure from the Muslim League rather than supporting a programme that could benefit children from economically weaker sections.

Notably, the PM SHRI scheme has been a flashpoint between several non-BJP state governments and the Centre, with multiple states raising concerns about funding conditions attached to the scheme.

Women's Rights and Muslim Reservation

Chandrasekhar further accused Gandhi of remaining silent on what he described as attempts by Congress' political allies in Kerala to curtail women's rights and restrict their freedoms. He also questioned the Congress party's support for Muslim reservation in Kerala, calling it unconstitutional, while Gandhi continues to invoke constitutional principles on national stages.

'Rahul Gandhi speaks one language in Delhi, while his party functions in an entirely different manner in Kerala. What else can this be called if not deceptive politics?' Chandrasekhar said, according to reports.

Political Context

The attack is part of an intensifying BJP effort to highlight perceived contradictions in the Congress party's political alliances — particularly in states where the party partners with religious or identity-based organisations. Kerala, with its competitive multi-cornered political contest among the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the UDF, and the BJP, remains a key battleground for the saffron party's expansion ambitions in South India. All allegations in this report are attributed to Chandrasekhar and have not been independently verified by NationPress; the Congress party's response, if any, was not available at the time of publication.