NEW DELHI: Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of aligning openly with Jamaat-e-Islami for the first time during the Nilambur by-election.

"For the first time, in the Nilambur by-election in Wayanad, which was Rahul Gandhi's former constituency and is now Priyanka Gandhi's constituency, Congress openly and formally took the support of Jamaat-e-Islami. Campaigning was done, and they won that election," Chandrasekhar said at a press conference in the national capital.

Calling the Congress a "shameless party," the Kerala BJP President said there is no doubt in the minds of citizens anymore.

"Congress is a shameless party, and there is no doubt about that in the country. They roam around holding the Constitution in their hands, talk about secularism, claim that the Constitution is under threat, and run propaganda against the BJP, labelling it a communal party. But the truth is that the party that allies with proscribed, anti-democratic, anti-constitutional organisations is the Congress and its INDI alliance partners," he charged.

He also referenced Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's recent remark questioning the BJP's observance of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.

"Recently, Kharge Sahab questioned why the BJP was observing the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Many may have forgotten, but this [Jamaat tie-up] serves as strong evidence and a reason why Congress continues to undermine the Indian Constitution, secular values, and Indian democracy," he said.

The Kerala BJP President further said that Congress has resorted to appeasement politics, especially targeting the Muslim community.

"For years, they ran their politics by misleading and inciting people. Today, most communities have become aware, and the only strategy Congress has left is appeasement politics targeted at the Muslim community to mislead and scare them," he alleged.

Calling this pattern long-standing, he said that Congress has consistently blamed the RSS or the BJP even after terrorist attacks.

"There is already enough evidence of this appeasement politics. In 2006, when a terror attack happened, they said it was not by Pakistani terrorists but by the RSS. After the Batla House encounter, Sonia Gandhi rushed to defend and justify the terrorists. When the Pulwama attack happened, they claimed the BJP orchestrated it. After the Pahalgam attack, Robert Vadra said it was a reaction to the abrogation of Article 370. So every time, the language of the Congress has been the same," he said.

The Nilambur bypoll, held in June 2025, saw Congress-led UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath defeat CPI(M)'s M Swaraj by 11,077 votes.