Thiruvananthapyram, 16 Feb (H.S.): Former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has firmly defended his recent remark that the government led by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan could return to power for a third consecutive term in the upcoming Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters, Aiyar said that as a Gandhian, he was duty-bound to speak the truth as he sees it.
Aiyar clarified that his assessment was not made casually. “I made the statement after hearing in detail about the achievements of the present government. A government that has accomplished so much—why would it not return to power?” he asked. According to him, his comments were based purely on governance performance and not on political considerations.
His remarks, however, triggered sharp criticism from several Congress leaders in Kerala. Responding strongly, Aiyar lashed out at senior party figures. He described Congress MP Shashi Tharoor as “indecisive” and accused AICC General Secretary K. C. Venugopal of behaving like a “bully.” He also questioned whether senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala had become the party’s “public relations officer,” asserting that he himself was a more senior leader in the party hierarchy.
At the same time, Aiyar expressed clear support for Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, describing him as a socialist and a secular leader with strong values. He argued that if the Congress fails to project Satheesan as its Chief Ministerial candidate, a third term for Pinarayi Vijayan would become almost inevitable.
“For the UDF to return to power, it needs a leader with firm ideological grounding and credibility,” Aiyar said. He maintained that projecting either Chennithala or Tharoor as the Chief Ministerial face would weaken the Congress’ electoral prospects.
Aiyar’s candid comments have added fuel to the ongoing internal debate within the Congress in Kerala over leadership and electoral strategy. With Assembly elections drawing closer, his intervention has sharpened the spotlight on the party’s choice of leadership and its ability to mount a credible challenge against the ruling Left Democratic Front.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
