Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 12 (IANS): KPCC president and Congress Lok Sabha member K. Sudhakaran on Friday said the Ayodhya issue started to "worsen" way back in 1987 when the then top CPI(M) veteran EMS Nampoothiripad had opined that "the Babri Masjid should be demolished to solve the issue".

"In 1989, the VP Singh government was propped up by the CPI(M) and the BJP and it was the cause of the Ayodhya issue to further worsen. The very fact the CPI(M) has not send their nominee to the INDIA bloc shows the clandestine relation they have with the BJP and this is the reason why despite five central agencies probing, no FIR was registered against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the SNC Lavalin case has been adjourned 37 times," said Sudhakaran.

Sudhakaran was reacting to the comment of the CPI(M) that it was due to their pressure that the Congress decided to keep away from the 'pran pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.

"Today, the affairs of the CPI(M) are decided by just two people- the father-in-law and son-in-law combine ( Vijayan and State Public Works Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas), while in the Congress party, it's different as it's one of the most democratic political party and decisions are taken after deliberations," Sudhakaran said.