New Delhi: Criticizing the Congress following the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)’s offer to back the UDF in Kerala, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted on Tuesday that the long-standing party fails to uphold India’s sovereignty and has persistently aligned with anti-India agendas.

In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18 during his Ramanagara roadshow in Karnataka, Shah expressed his lack of surprise at the Congress receiving support from the SDPI, stating, “With communal forces’ backing, Congress has endorsed anti-India movements for years. SDPI’s support implies a disregard for India’s sovereignty.”

The SDPI, associated with the banned Popular Front of India, declared its backing for the Congress-led UDF in Kerala’s Lok Sabha elections. SDPI state President Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi confirmed the party’s decision, noting their absence of candidates in Kerala but fielding 18 elsewhere in the country.

However, the Congress refrained from providing a clear stance on accepting or rejecting SDPI’s support. AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal, also contesting from Alappuzha constituency, emphasized that the Congress never solicited SDPI’s aid and no discussions had transpired regarding it.

Shah asserted the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) assurance to secure all 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, attributing this confidence to the overwhelming support for PM Modi in the state. He emphasized that the BJP candidate would secure victory by a significant margin.

Moreover, Shah highlighted Modi’s vision to elevate India’s economy under his leadership, aiming to propel it to the third-largest globally if elected for a third term as Prime Minister.

In response, HD Kumaraswamy conveyed that Amit Shah’s involvement in Tuesday’s campaign instilled hope for the BJP-JDS alliance to clinch victory in all 28 Karnataka seats. The former CM stressed that Congress’s success wasn’t solely due to its strength but owing to the division between BJP and JDS.