Alappuzha (Kerala) | Former CPI(M) leader and independent candidate from Ambalappuzha, G Sudhakaran, on Saturday denied claims that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had contacted him over the phone, saying he had not received any call from the CM.

Sudhakaran told a television channel that Vijayan's number is saved on his phone with the name 'CM' and no call had come from that number.

"I had not received any calls in the names of Pinarayi Vijayan or the CM. I have saved his number in my phone as CM. But, I have not got any call from that number," he said on Saturday.

Sudhakaran also said that about two weeks ago, he had conveyed his wish to meet the chief minister during his upcoming visit to Alappuzha.

"He had said that he would inform. But there was no further communication," the veteran leader said, adding that there was no need for him not to attend Vijayan's call at that time.

Sudhakaran's reaction came a day after CM Vijayan, during a television interview, had rejected his claims of neglect and said he himself had attempted to contact the leader three times.

According to Vijayan, the first call was engaged, while the next two calls went unanswered.

Vijayan said that though the party's district secretary had informed Sudhakaran about the calls, the leader maintained that he had not received any such call and declined an offer to be immediately connected to the chief minister, saying he would call back later.

Dismissing allegations of neglect, Vijayan had also said that the party had not ignored him and any such claim was "baseless".