Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17 (IANS) They have for long been engaged in a running political battle, belonging as they do to the rival fronts of Kerala's political spectrum.

Now P.C. George of the Kerala Congress (Mani) and Pinarayi Vijayan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist have crossed swords over their children.

The vice-chairman of the Kerala Congress (Mani) has lashed out at the state CPI-M secretary for mocking at his son's inter-faith marriage with veteran comedian Jagathy Sreekumar's daughter.

That is the only 'love jihad' he was aware of, Vijayan sarcastically said.

'The engagement was done according to Hindu custom at the girl's house, and the marriage took place in front of thousands at my parish church in my hometown in Kottayam district last year. There was no secrecy in it,' a peeved George told reporters, taking umbrage at Vijayan's remark.

Then, mounting a counter-attack, George asked reporters if they knew that Vijayan's son was engaged to a girl from Tellichery in Kannur district a few days back.

'The entire event was kept a closely guarded secret, while the engagement and marriage of my son was a public event. It was not proper for Vijayan to make such a statement about my son's marriage,' he said.

'Love Jihad' has of late become much-talked about in Kerala after rumours that Muslim youth were ensnaring Hindu girls into marriage and converting them to Islam after professing love to them.

The state high court recently asked Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose to probe veracity of these rumours. The court, in fact, denied anticipatory bail to two youth who allegedly forcibly converted two girl-classmates at a college in Pathanamthitta district after professing love to them.