I am Gandhian, not a Rahul-ian, says Mani Shankar Aiyar

Aiyar also pitched Tamil Nadu CM and DMK chief MK Stalin’s name for the position of the India bloc chief.

Senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has once again stirred political chatter with a sharp remark aimed at the Congress current leadership.

Referring to a biography of BR Ambedkar titled A Part Apart, Aiyar appeared to draw a parallel before making his pointed comment.

“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,” Aiyar told news agency ANI after his remarks on the Vijayan government turned into a controversy.

#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Mani Shankar Aiyar says, "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? That is all I need to say as an answer." pic.twitter.com/wDUdlRnHQU

— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2026

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Monday called  Aiyar's recent remarks, preducting return of Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala, as his "personal opinion." Venugopal said his remarks do not reflect the Congress's viewpoint, adding that he is no longer in the party.

Aiyar on Sunday predicted that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will retain power for a third consecutive time in the upcoming Assembly polls.

Aiyar also called  Venugopal "a rowdy".   "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? That is all I need to say as an answer," he told ANI.

Aiyar on Monday suggested that DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin as the "best man to consolidate" the INDIA bloc, while emphasising that a united national opposition requires strong leadership and strategic coordination.

The veteran leader  reasoned that Stalin focuses on raising substantive issues rather than sloganeering and would not stand in the way of Rahul Gandhi becoming Prime Minister.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader said, "What Stalin has done over the past one year is to raise every single point that is relevant to federalism in India. He has never said 'suit-boot ki sarkar.' He has never said 'chowkidar chor hai.'... He has the great virtue that he won't stand in the way of Rahul Gandhi becoming the Prime Minister."

Further, Aiyar he drew a historical parallel between Stalin and former Congress chief K Kamaraj, who had declined the prime ministership after Jawaharlal Nehru, stressing that leadership roles should prioritise unity over personal ambition. The Congress leader seemed to imply that Stalin could play a kingmaker role similar to that of former Congress president K Kamaraj.

"If the INDIA bloc is consolidated, I think the best man to consolidate it is MK Stalin. When Kamaraj was asked to become the PM of India in succession to Jawaharlal Nehru, he had one sentence to say to everybody who asked him - "No English, No Hindi. How?" So, MK Stalin is in same position. Rahul Gandhi can become the PM of India, provided there is somebody to spend all his time consolidating the INDIA bloc," he said.

Aiyar's endorsement of Stalin to unify the national opposition alliance came amidst a critique of his own party's leadership.

BJP reacts

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said no  one has confidence in Rahul Gandhi anymore. "Even Manishankar Aiyar, considered one of the closest loyalists of the Gandhi family, has suggested in a state like Kerala—where governments alternate between UDF and LDF, and from where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was elected from Wayanad—that Rahul Gandhi will not be able to lead the party to victory and that Pinarayi Vijayan will return to power..." he said.