Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], September 27 (ANI): Kerala's Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan on Saturday slammed the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), alleging that the party has transformed into a far-right political force.

He said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) had not raised any complaint against the Nair Service Society (NSS)'s favourable stance on the Global Ayyappa Sanghamam held at Pampa, the gateway to Sabarimala, on September 20.

'The CPI (M) in Kerala is now moving forward with a politics of appeasement. We have not raised any complaint against the NSS's stance, nor do we need to be concerned about it,' Satheesan told reporters here.

'What is evident is that the CPI(M) in Kerala has transformed into a far-right political force. Ministers were visibly elated when reading out Yogi Adityanath's message,' he added, refering to Kerala Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan reading a message from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath during the Global Ayyappa Sanghamam.

On Friday, Satheesan criticised the CPI (M), saying the party had earlier appeased minorities before the last parliamentary elections but has now turned to majority appeasement.

'The party (CPI (M)) had for years appeased minorities before the last parliamentary elections and has now shifted to majority appeasement, thus lacking any genuine commitment to secularism,' Satheesan told reporters in Kannur.

'The UDF's position on these issues remains unchanged for the parliamentary elections, after them and in times ahead. Kerala was fundamentally secular, and both the older and the younger generations would rally behind constitutional values against divisive politics,' he added.

Satheesan said the United Democratic Front (UDF) respected the freedom of the Nair Service Society (NSS) to make independent decisions and praised its leadership for 'resisting communal infiltration.' At the same time, he stressed that the UDF would 'oppose both majority and minority communalism' without hesitation.

His comments came after NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair appeared to praise the CPI(M)-led LDF government for its handling of the first Global Ayyappa Sangamam, held at Pampa, the gateway to Sabarimala, on September 20. UDF leaders had boycotted the event. (ANI)