Sivankutty says rejecting votes from any section would be unconstitutional; maintains candidates can only seek support, not refuse it.
He clarified he did not specifically invite SDPI votes, but anyone backing his political stand is free to vote for him.
Senior CPI(M) leader and LDF candidate in Nemom, V Sivankutty, on Monday said he cannot refuse votes from any section of society, claiming that doing so would be unconstitutional, amid allegations by the opposition UDF of a CPI(M)-SDPI deal in the April 9 Assembly polls.
Sivankutty clarified that he had not stated he would specifically accept the votes of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), but maintained that a candidate cannot reject support from any group.
"The Constitution guarantees the right to vote to everyone. As a candidate, I can only request people to vote for me. I cannot announce that I won't accept the vote of a particular group. Does such a precedence exist anywhere in the country," he asked while speaking to the media.
Stating that his objective in the election is to win, the CPI(M) leader said anyone who recognises and supports his political stand is free to vote for him.
"It is unconstitutional to say that we don't want a particular section's vote," he added, asserting that neither his personal position nor that of his party would be compromised.
Rejecting allegations of a deal with the SDPI, Sivankutty said he was unfazed by such claims and alleged that in the past, it was the Congress and the BJP that had entered into understandings in the Nemom constituency.
He further accused the Congress of being responsible for the BJP opening its account in the state, and claimed that the SDPI deal allegations were being raised to divert attention from development issues in Kerala.
(with PTI inputs)