With the Kerala Assembly Election 2026 closing in, a brand-new yet existing narrative has found its way into the headlines: whether there are any unfair deals hidden under the table. The two major alliances, including the LDF and the UDF, are reportedly throwing shade at each other, saying that the other has an under-the-table deal with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Are the accusations merely talk to degrade the opposition, or are they facts influenced by the truth itself? Here is what the leaders have been arguing about:

Over the past couple of days, both the LDF and the UDF have been accusing each other of having affiliations with the RSS in the past. The war of words began when Congress alleged that there is a CPI(M)-BJP deal in the upcoming Assembly election scheduled for April 9, 2026.

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Congress leader V. D. Satheesan stated that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is a man who changes his position on any matter according to what suits his goals. According to The Hindu, Satheesan said that BJP workers protest at his residence frequently and that the saffron party has been strongly working against him. “The BJP is working to defeat Congress,” said Satheesan.

Amid the narrative raised by the Congress over a CPI(M)-BJP deal, CM Vijayan has counter-questioned Congress leader Satheesan’s claims. He asked in a Facebook post, “What deal led him to participate as the inaugurator at the Golwalkar centenary celebration organized by the RSS in Paravur, where he bowed before Golwalkar’s photo and lit a lamp?”

He further added that Satheesan always deflects questions related to his attendance at the Golwalkar event and connects them to another event from 2013. “The timing of Satheesan’s participation in the event to honour Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak of the RSS and its longest-serving leader, is also significant,” Vijayan added.

The Congress leader had also accused Vijayan of colluding with the RSS in the 1977 election, which led to his victory. Vijayan won from the Kuthuparamba constituency against Abdulkadar of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) under the UDF.

What Did Vijayan Say About the Deal with the RSS?

Amid the plethora of accusations against the CPI(M), CM Vijayan has dismissed the ruling party’s links to the RSS. He emphasized that if there is any form of collusion between any parties, it is the Congress. He added that during the 1977 election, the CPI(M) was the main opponent of the RSS.

He continued, “When I started my political career, people there knew how the RSS viewed me. We expected attacks from the RSS, and I was one of their targets.” He cited various instances that indicate that the Congress and the RSS have worked together in the past to defeat the CPI(M) in elections, citing examples of Pattambi and Palakkad, where the Jan Sangh collaborated with the Congress in order to dethrone the CPI(M).

Speaking at a public event in Tirur, the Kerala Chief Minister claimed that the accusation of a CPI(M)-SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) deal is nothing but a political strategy by the opposition. During the “Meet the Press” programme in Kochi, Congress party member Ramesh Chennithala stated that both the SDPI and the CPI(M) are working together for the upcoming election. He alleged that SDPI candidates are covertly acting as CPM candidates.

Vijayan responded to the speculations and said, “Their only goal is to defeat the LDF. The RSS has even directed its cadres to vote for UDF candidates where the BJP is not a strong contender.” Taking a dig at the Congress-League-BJP, he noted that “the ‘Co-Le-B’ alliance is an old story in Kerala, but the people are wise enough to see through it.”

With both the LDF and the UDF accusing each other of having an under-the-table deal, what remains for the Kerala Assembly Election 2026?

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