Reportedly (ADGP) Ajith Kumar, a close associate of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, informed the CMO that his meeting with RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale in Thrissur last May was of a personal nature. However, a CMO source noted there was "no clear information" regarding the ADGP's statement.

The controversy intensified after the ruling CPI(M) dismissed the opposition Congress' claims that Kumar acted as a "middleman" between the Chief Minister and the RSS to disrupt the Thrissur Pooram festival to favor the BJP candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. CPI(M) labelled these allegations as "baseless and nonsensical."