Following senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comments suggesting that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would remain in office following the upcoming Assembly elections, the Congress on Sunday distanced itself from him.
Rejecting any indication to the contrary, the party declared that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will regain power in the state.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera responded to the situation by stating that Aiyar’s remarks did not represent the party’s stance.
For the past few years, Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no relationship whatsoever with the Congress. Khera emphasized that the party does not support his opinions, saying, “He writes and speaks only in his personal capacity.”
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh echoed this position and expressed confidence in the opposition’s chances in Kerala.
Don’t leave any room for doubt. He said that the ruling Left Democratic Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party operate as “covert partners” in the state and that the people of Kerala will restore the UDF for more accountable and responsive governance.
The controversy arose from Aiyar’s comments at the Vision 2031 International Conference on Democracy and Development, where he voiced confidence that Vijayan would win a third straight term and lauded the LDF government’s panchayati raj model.
Speaking at the ceremony, Aiyar referred to Kerala as a model state for decentralized governance, even stating that it was ironic that a Left government had made such strides toward implementing Mahatma Gandhi’s grassroots democracy agenda.
Vijayan expressed his approval of Aiyar’s remarks on social media and reiterated his government’s dedication to bolstering local self-governments.
The comments, however, were made at a delicate political time when the Congress is stepping up its attempts to make a return in Kerala.
According to reports, senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala advised notable guests, including as economist Amartya Sen, to avoid attending the conference because he believed it to be politically charged. However, Aiyar decided to go and give a speech at the function.
