Thiruvananthapuram | KPCC chief Sunny Joseph on Tuesday said that Congress leaders were visiting offices of the Nair Service Society (NSS) only to strengthen the existing good relations between the party and the organisation.

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief was referring to the reported meetings of various senior party leaders with the NSS leadership.

Joseph said that these were "friendly visits" aimed at strengthening the already good relations the party leaders have with the NSS.

The reported visits and the KPCC chief's statement come in the wake of NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair's recent remarks that he trusted the Left government on the Sabarimala issue, which had assured the community that the age-old rituals in the hill shrine would be preserved.

He had also criticised the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for "its inaction after the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala", and took a swipe at the Congress, by saying that the grand old party "appeared uninterested in Hindu votes." Nair's remarks came after the Congress-led UDF stayed away from the Global Ayyappa Sangamam organised at Sabarimala by the government on September 20.

Following his statement, the Congress said its decision to stay away from the conclave was a political one.

It also said that NSS was entitled to its opinion and that there were no differences between the party and the prominent Nair organisation.

The party had also emphasised that the NSS stand was not a political one.