In a stunning outburst from Thiruvananthapuram, veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has unleashed a barrage of criticism against the party’s top brass, indirectly targeting AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal and spokesperson Pawan Khera. His provocative social media post has ignited fresh turmoil within the grand old party, exposing deep-seated fractures at a time when unity is crucial.
Aiyar took to X, formerly Twitter, questioning the wisdom of a party that appoints Venugopal as Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Sardar Patel’ and relies on Khera as its sole spokesperson. ‘What do you think of a party that chooses K.C. Venugopal as Sardar Patel for Rahul Gandhi? And what of a party that finds no one but Pawan Khera to be its spokesperson?’ he wrote, words that have been interpreted as a direct assault on these key figures.
Speaking to the media amid Kerala’s politically charged atmosphere, Aiyar praised the Left Democratic Front government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, dubbing it a ‘Rajivian government’ for embodying late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s vision of decentralized governance. He highlighted how Kerala, alongside Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana—all southern states—have excelled in implementing this model, topping various governance indices.
Flanked by Kerala’s local self-government minister M.B. Rajesh and former finance minister Thomas Isaac, Aiyar expressed a dual sentiment. As a Congressman, he hopes the United Democratic Front (UDF) regains power, but as a Gandhian, he predicts Vijayan’s return, lauding the chief minister’s intelligence and proactive global outreach.
Defending his loyalty, Aiyar quipped, ‘Even the fringe of my dhoti flies the Congress flag,’ underscoring his unwavering ideological commitment despite the barbs. He didn’t spare Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, branding him the ‘biggest careerist’ and questioning why a former UPA minister praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dismissing rumors of defection, Aiyar asserted that no party wants a ‘troublemaker’ like him. If expelled, he vowed to find alternative platforms to voice his views. Kerala opposition leader V.D. Satheesan hit back, reminding Aiyar of the favors Congress has bestowed upon him.
Aiyar’s remarks have once again thrust Congress’s internal discord into the spotlight, raising questions about leadership choices and ideological coherence as the party grapples with electoral challenges ahead.