Senior Congress figure Mani Shankar Aiyar has once again stirred controversy with sharp comments about his former party colleagues. In an interview with NDTV, the former Union minister criticised leaders such as Shashi Tharoor, Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera, while expressing doubts about the Congress’s chances in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections.
He claimed internal divisions within the party would hurt its prospects, remarking that Congress leaders “dislike each other more than they oppose the Communists.”
Aiyar’s latest remarks come amid an ongoing row over his recent praise for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He had earlier suggested that Vijayan was likely to retain office after the state polls. The Congress promptly distanced itself from his comments, with Khera stating that Aiyar has not been associated with the party for several years and speaks solely in an individual capacity.
Aiyar Calls Pawan Khera A ‘Puppet’
Aiyar took aim at Khera, describing him as a “puppet” and questioning his role as party spokesperson. He alleged that Khera had been targeting him for the past two years and suggested that the Congress’s current state reflected its choice of representatives.
On Kerala, Aiyar said that while he personally wished for a Congress victory, he did not expect it to happen due to factionalism within the state unit.
He also criticised Tharoor, the four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, portraying him as strongly anti-Pakistan and suggesting he harboured ambitions of becoming India’s next foreign minister. Referring to Ramesh, Aiyar remarked that the communications in-charge had to “protect his position.”
Aiyar’s Praise For Vijayan
The controversy follows Aiyar’s speech at a Thiruvananthapuram seminar titled “Vision 2031: Development and Democracy,” where he praised Vijayan’s leadership months before the Kerala polls, in which the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will face the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The state Congress unit had reportedly urged several intellectuals not to attend the event.
During his address, Aiyar expressed regret over the absence of his party colleagues and lauded Kerala’s record in strengthening grassroots governance. A former Panchayati Raj minister, he said the state had gone further than others in realising former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s vision of decentralisation. In a dramatic appeal, he urged Vijayan to “carry forward the baton” on panchayati raj reforms.
The Congress leadership responded swiftly. Khera reiterated on social media that Aiyar has had no connection with the party in recent years. Ramesh, meanwhile, asserted that Kerala voters would bring the UDF back to power, promising more accountable governance and alleging tacit cooperation between the LDF and the BJP.
