Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 5 (IANS): The Kerala unit of Congress on Monday flayed a recent meeting between Goa Governor P.S.Sreedharan Pillai and Jose K.Mani from Kerala Congress-- ruling Left Front's ally -- calling it a part of tacit understanding between the BJP and the CPI(M) to take the relationship forward.

However, Mani was quick in denial, terming it "nothing beyond an exchange of pleasantries".

While Pillai is a former state BJP chief, Mani is the president of the Kerala Cong (Mani)- the third biggest ally of the ruling Left Democratic Front.

Kottayam district Congress Committee president Natakom Suresh said this meeting took place between the two at Kochi on Sunday.

"Mani is Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's agent and at the last Assembly elections, there was a tacit understanding between the BJP and the CPI-M and with the elections round the corner. This rendezvous is to take forward the relations between the two," said Suresh.

However, Mani said the meeting took place at Kochi and it was nothing but an exchange of pleasantries, when they were getting ready to go to the airport.

Incidentally, Mani, son of legendary politician K.M.Mani after the death of the latter in 2019 moved towards the Left, after splitting the party founded by his father.