Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday hit back at a priest who criticised the ruling Left on Facebook for their defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, saying that such remarks show that there can be "ignorant persons" even among priests.

The priest, Geevarghese Coorilos -- former Metropolitan of Niranam Diocese of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church -- in his post had said that "floods and epidemics do not always come to the rescue and people in Kerala will not fall more than once in 'kit politics." After the Left government retained power in 2021, the opposition had alleged that it was due to the distribution of free food kits to the people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The priest, known for his pro-Left views, had made the remarks on Facebook in connection with the LDF's loss in the LS polls.

Referring to his FB statement, Vijayan said that according to the priest the LDF got a second term in power due to the floods in the state and not to expect another such natural calamity.

"What it shows is that even among priests there are sometimes some ignorant persons. None of us desires another flood in the state," the CM said during his speech after releasing the state government's progress report for the 2023-24 period.

He said the state faced the disaster unitedly and set an example for everyone in the world.

"The fact that Kerala could do so is our state's speciality, because the people here have a secular mindset. Only such a state can face and survive such disasters unitedly," Vijayan said.

The priest in his FB post had said that one of the main reasons for the LDF's defeat was the anti-incumbency sentiment among the people.

The priest had also criticised the Left for allegedly attacking the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, who fought valiantly against fascism, more than the BJP.

He had also alleged that there was a decline in the standards of the second LDF government as compared to the previous one.