Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11 (IANS): Kerala state unit president of BJP, K. Surendran has said that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is an out and out communal political party. He was speaking at the state office bearers meet of the Kerala unit of the party here.

In a direct reply to the CPI-M state secretary, M.V. Govindan, Surendran said: "The CPI-M is trying to whitewash the Muslim League and the statement of its state secretary, M.V. Govindan that League is not a communal party is hoodwinking the general public."

Surendran said that the people of the country have not forgotten the regressive position taken by the Muslim League in the maintenance case filed by Shah Bano against her husband who divorced her. He said that the League was out and out against the woman in the maintenance case and added that CPI-M was trying to portray such a party as secular.

He also added that Muslim League had supported the partition of India and was against the interests of our nation. The BJP Kerala state president said that CPI-M is now an opportunistic political party and that while CPI-M is trying to rope League into the Left front, "What message is the party providing to the majority Hindu community of Kerala?"

Surendran also said that the fights have already commenced in the CPI regarding CPI-M's reported move to rope in the Muslim League.