Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has stirred a fresh political storm within the party after declaring, “I am not a Rahulian,” predicting a third consecutive term for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and launching sharp attacks on colleagues ahead of the Assembly polls.
Clarifying his stand, Aiyar said, “I am in the Congress party, I haven’t left it. Mr Rahul Gandhi has forgotten that I am a member of the party. Therefore, I am a Gandhian, I am a Nehruvian, I am a Rajivian, but I am not a Rahulian.”
His remarks have sharpened internal fault lines, particularly in Kerala where the Congress faces a high-stakes electoral contest.
Aiyar predicted that Vijayan would return to power for a third straight term but offered to withdraw his statement on one condition. “Promise me that VD Satheesan will be the next CM, then I am ready to withdraw the statement on Pinarayi Vijayan,” he said, adding, “He is a socialist secularist.” Even while forecasting a Left victory, Aiyar described Vijayan as “a very intelligent man” and remarked, “If I am Pinarayi Vijayan I wouldn’t want me.”
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Congress general secretary K. C. Venugopal termed Aiyar’s remarks his “personal opinion”, saying they did not reflect the party’s official position. Aiyar responded sharply: “Can you imagine what is the condition of a party which raises a rowdy like KC Venugopal to the level of Sardar Patel, to Rahul Gandhi?”
He also targeted fellow MP Shashi Tharoor, saying, “I have never met a more unprincipled careerist than Shashi Tharoor. He is now trying to become Modi’s foreign minister.”
The BJP seized on the controversy. Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai alleged an “underhanded deal” between the Congress and the Left in Kerala, while BJP leader C. R. Kesavan said Aiyar’s comments reflected a “vote of no confidence” in his own party.
Amid speculation, Aiyar maintained, “I am in the Congress. I am not joining any party. If Congress throws me out, I will find my voice.” He also recalled that Sonia Gandhi had once described him as a “loose cannon”.
With Kerala heading towards polls, Aiyar’s remarks have injected fresh turbulence into the Congress camp at a crucial juncture.