Congress Won’t Win In Kerala; Tharoor Aiming For External Affairs Role: Mani Shankar Aiyar

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has made strong remarks against several senior leaders of the Congress, saying the party is unlikely to win the upcoming Kerala Assembly election due to internal divisions.

In an interview with NDTV, Mani Shankar Aiyar criticised leaders including Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh and AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera. He described Khera as a “puppet” and said he is not a party spokesperson in his view. Aiyar alleged that Khera has been targeting him for the past two years and added that if the Congress cannot find another spokesperson, the party’s condition could further decline.

Mani Shankar Aiyar also made pointed remarks about Shashi Tharoor, referring to differences between Tharoor and the party leadership on issues such as Operation Sindoor. He described Tharoor as “anti-Pakistan” and said that Tharoor appears to have ambitions of becoming the next External Affairs Minister. Referring to Jairam Ramesh, Aiyar said he should “keep his job” and focus on his responsibilities.

Speaking about the party’s prospects in Kerala, Aiyar said, “I want the Congress to win, but I don’t believe it will because Congress leaders are divided. They hate each other more than they hate the Communists.” He reiterated that the Congress is unlikely to win the forthcoming Kerala Assembly election.

Aiyar’s remarks come after his recent statements at the “Vision 2031: Development and Democracy” seminar organised by the Kerala State Planning Board. At the event, he said the Left government would continue in power after the next election. He also said Kerala leads the country in implementing Panchayati Raj and has fulfilled the vision of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in this regard.

He expressed regret over the absence of Kerala Congress leaders at the seminar and criticised their decision to boycott the programme.

Following the event, Mani Shankar Aiyar faced widespread targeted cyber attacks on social media over his remarks. Responding to the controversy, Pawan Khera said Aiyar has had no connection with the Congress for the past few years and that he speaks in his personal capacity.