Kochi: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) — the political arm of the banned Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) – will support the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the April 26 Lok Sabha elections in Kerala.

SDPI Kerala president Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi announced the decision at a press meet at the Ernakulam Press Club on Monday.

Moulavi said his party took the decision because the Congress is leading the anti-BJP INDIA bloc at the national level. SDPI had contested from nine seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Kerala. This time, the party is contesting from 18 seats in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. In other states, it will offer support to anti-BJP candidates, the party leadership said.

Moulavi said the ultimate aim of each political decision the SDPI takes is to nurture a political alternative based on social justice at the national level in the long run.

He said the lapses on the part of the state home department led to the acquittal of three RSS men in the case relating to the murder of madrasa teacher Mohammed Riyas Moulavi.

The Congress has not responded to the SDPI’s decision to support it in the upcoming polls. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) acting president M M Hassan, who met the media soon after Moulavi’s press meet at the same venue, said he came to know about the matter only then.

Hassan said he could respond to the matter only after discussions within his party. “Whoever offers support to us, we will discuss it. We have not held any discussion with SDPI leaders,” Hassan said. Asked if he thinks SDPI is a communal party, Hassan said it was not up to him to classify various political parties.