Veteran Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar stirred the pot in Thiruvananthapuram with blistering critiques of party leadership, zeroing in on K.C. Venugopal’s elevation and Pawan Khera’s spokesperson role. His bold social media salvo has amplified internal dissent, casting shadows over Congress’s unity drive.
Aiyar’s post posed rhetorical questions about a party equating Venugopal to Sardar Patel for Rahul Gandhi and settling for Khera as its voice. The timing, amid Kerala’s sensitive politics, has heightened unease within ranks.
In conversations with journalists, Aiyar extolled the Vijayan government as ‘Rajivian,’ crediting it with realizing Rajiv Gandhi’s decentralized governance ideals. He noted the southern quartet—Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana—leading in key performance areas.
Joined by heavyweights M.B. Rajesh and Thomas Isaac, Aiyar balanced his wishes: UDF victory for Congress pride, but Vijayan’s savvy leadership likely to prevail. He endorsed the CM’s global engagement strategies.
Proclaiming his enduring Congress allegiance—’my dhoti’s edge bears the flag’—Aiyar accused Tharoor of careerism, puzzled by the ex-minister’s Modi fandom. He scoffed at defection talks, positioning himself as an independent thinker no party desires, prepared to chart his own path if ousted.
V.D. Satheesan’s retort reminded Aiyar of party patronage. These revelations underscore Congress’s ongoing struggles with factionalism, leadership credibility, and strategic direction.