New Delhi, Feb 16 (NationPress) Following the remarks of senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar who expressed belief that Pinarayi Vijayan would retain his position as the Chief Minister of Kerala, the BJP initiated a robust critique of the Congress party. They asserted that neither the party nor its coalition members recognize the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as their leader.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla commented to IANS, "Earlier today, I came across a report indicating that Mani Shankar Aiyar has little faith in Rahul Gandhi, suggesting he is incapable of leading the party to success. The Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has reportedly chanted the slogan 'Remove Rahul, bring Mamata, save the INDIA Bloc.' Additionally, in Assam, former state Congress president Bhupen Borah has seemingly exited the party."

Poonawalla went on to assert that it is evident that confidence in Rahul Gandhi is waning.

"Thus, it is clear that no one has faith in Rahul Gandhi. He has lost 95 elections. There is no mandate. His coalition partners, including the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party, as well as figures like Supriya Sule, Omar Abdullah, and Hemant Soren, are distancing themselves from him," he stated.

He labeled Rahul Gandhi as a "non-performing asset" for the opposition coalition.

"For the INDIA Bloc, he represents a liability. That is why there is a lack of confidence. Leaders, veterans, and alliance partners — no one acknowledges him as their leader. Wherever he goes, he leads them to electoral defeats," he added.

In response to these comments, Congress leader Udit Raj remarked, "Why is this question being posed to Congress? If Mani Shankar made such statements, direct your inquiries to him. This isn't a matter of integrity, it's an agenda. Mani Shankar Aiyar holds no official position, so why involve Congress?"

The Congress party sought to distance itself from Aiyar's public endorsement of Kerala's CM Vijayan, which sparked uproar within its ranks in the state.

Aiyar had praised CM Vijayan's leadership on Sunday, forecasting his return for a third consecutive term. This prediction unsettled the Congress' Kerala unit, which aims to unseat the Left Front government.

As the party endeavors to intensify its attacks on the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), Aiyar's comments were seen as undermining their campaign narrative.

To mitigate backlash, Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal clarified on Monday that Aiyar’s remarks do not represent the official stance of the party.

"This is not Congress' perspective. It is his personal view," Venugopal stated, adding that Aiyar has not participated in Congress activities for some time.

"While he indeed was a member of Congress, such an opinion is entirely his own and not reflective of the party’s position," he asserted.

This clarification highlights the unease within the party's central leadership regarding the situation.

In Kerala, grassroots leaders reacted strongly, contending that Aiyar’s praise undermines the efforts of workers who have been protesting against what they characterize as the anti-people policies of the Vijayan government.