NEW DELHI: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday stoked a fresh controversy after praising Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and expressing hope for the return of the Left government in the upcoming assembly elections.This comes as the Congress seeks a return to power in Kerala in the polls scheduled for May this year.Speaking at an international seminar titled “Vision 2031: Development and Democracy”, Aiyar asked Vijayan to “pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped.”He added that it may appear ironic that the state which has made the most commendable progress towards that goal is Kerala, ruled by a “Marxist-Leninist party”.“I do not know whether this is a compliment or an insult, but I deeply regret the absence of my party colleagues on this occasion, which is a state occasion and therefore a national occasion. While Kerala is the first state in panchayati raj in practice, it ranks only second in law,” Aiyar said.“So, in the presence of the chief minister, who I am confident will continue in office, I renew my plea — to reinforce Kerala as the best panchayati raj state in the country. State laws should be amended based on practical experience, Thomas Isaac’s insights, the five-volume report I chaired, and the note on district planning by VK Ramachandran circulated by the Planning Commission when it truly supported panchayati raj,” he added.“Therefore, I must fall at your feet, Chief Minister Vijayan, and request you to pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped. Thank you, and may Kerala prosper,” he further said.Vijayan described Aiyar’s remarks as “charismatic words” that resonated with the current context.In a social media post about the Vision 2031 International Conference, he said Aiyar’s observations reflected the contemporary scenario and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening grassroots democracy.“We stand united in the belief that democracy flourishes only when power resides with the people. We will continue to strengthen our local bodies as the heartbeat of growth,” the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said.‘No connection whatsoever with the Congress’Meanwhile, Aiyar’s remarks did not go down well with the Congress leadership.Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera sought to distance the party from Aiyar’s comments, saying he has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years.In a post on X, Khera said Aiyar “speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity”.“Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years. He speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity,” Khera said.Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh also rubbished Aiyar’s remarks and said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) is set to return to power in Kerala.“Let there be no doubt. The people of Kerala will bring the UDF back for more responsible and responsive governance. They also know the LDF and BJP are covert partners,” he said.
