India, May 16 -- Kerala chief minister-designate VD Satheesan on Friday backed his party's ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and promised to fight attempts to polarise the state, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that the regional party influenced the Congress's decision to choose him for the top job.

"The BJP carried out such communal propaganda during the elections too. The IUML is a major constituent of the UDF and played a key role in the UDF victory. The IUML is being singled out for attack through this hate campaign to create divisions in society. If the IUML weakens, communal parties will take its space," Satheesan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Satheesan made the remarks after the BJP state u...