'Pinarayi will become Chief Minister again', says senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the assembly elections approaching, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar left the state Congress in a limbo, saying it was certain that Pinarayi Vijayan would become the Chief Minister of the state again. Aiyar was speaking at the Vision 2031 Development and Democracy International Seminar held at the Shankaranarayana Thampi Hall in the Assembly.

Aiyar's high praise for the Kerala government came in the presence of Pinarayi Vijayan. After finishing his speech, the Chief Minister shook hands with Mani Shankar Aiyar. Mani Shankar Aiyar indirectly criticised the state Congress leaders too.

“I regret that my party colleagues are not here at a state government function of national importance. There are not many people left in the country today to raise their voices for Panchayati Raj.

It is interesting to note that the only state in India that made real progress in accordance with Gandhiji’s vision is Kerala, ruled by the Marxist Party. Kerala is first in the country in terms of the three-tier Panchayati Raj administration. It is second in terms of law. Kerala has been able to implement the ideas of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi better than any other state.”

Mani Shankar Aiyar also mentioned the role of former Minister Dr Thomas Isaac in making the Panchayati Raj system effective. Aiyar asked Pinarayi Vijayan to take up the task that the Congress has abandoned.