The Congress on Sunday disassociated itself from remarks made by former party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, who expressed confidence that Pinarayi Vijayan would continue as Kerala’s chief minister. The party clarified that Aiyar has had no ties with the Congress for several years and that his statements represent his personal views alone.
Reaffirming its political position ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, the Congress asserted that voters in the state would return the United Democratic Front (UDF) to power, promising what it described as more accountable and responsive governance.
What Did Mani Shankar Aiyar Say?
Aiyar had earlier said that Vijayan, a leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was likely to retain the top post. Responding to this, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera stated that Aiyar no longer has any association with the party and speaks purely in his individual capacity. Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh echoed the clarification, maintaining that the UDF would return to power in Kerala and alleging that the LDF and BJP function as covert allies.
Aiyar made his remarks at an international seminar in Thiruvananthapuram titled “Vision 2031: Development and Democracy”, inaugurated by Vijayan. During his address, he called for amendments to state laws to further strengthen Kerala’s standing in the panchayati raj system and offered suggestions on how this could be achieved.
Aiyar Recalls Gandhi’s Vision
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of grassroots democracy, Aiyar said Gandhi had imagined an India where even the poorest citizens would feel a sense of ownership and an effective voice in nation-building. He observed that Kerala, governed by a Marxist-Leninist party, had made significant progress toward that goal.
He also praised the state’s achievements in decentralised governance, stating that Kerala has done more than any other state to fulfil former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s expectations on panchayati raj. However, he pointed out that while Kerala leads in implementation, it ranks second in terms of legislative framework.
Referring to Karnataka’s legal reforms based on the Ramesh Kumar Committee’s recommendations, Aiyar noted that amendments he had proposed were fully adopted there. Addressing Vijayan directly, he urged the chief minister to amend Kerala’s laws in light of practical experience and expert inputs to further consolidate its position as a model state in local governance.
In a striking remark, Aiyar said there was no longer a national champion for panchayati raj and appealed to Vijayan to “pick up the baton” he felt the Congress had dropped.
Vijayan later described Aiyar’s speech as “charismatic” and relevant to the present context. In a social media post about the Vision 2031 conference, he said the observations aligned with contemporary realities and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening grassroots democracy.
