Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], February 16 (ANI): Former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Monday defended his recent remarks in which he predicted a victory for the rival ruling Left Democratic Front government in the State, citing internal disunity will be a key reason for the United Democratic Front's potential defeat in the forthcoming Kerala Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI in Thiruvananthapuram, Aiyar questioned the electability of a divided house. 'Who is going to vote for a party whose leaders are all at each other's throats?' Aiyar asked.

Stating that he has no respect for Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, Aiyar highlighted the discipline in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front government.

'Do you think the people of Kerala don't know what is happening in Congress leadership? At least in Pinarayi's government there is discipline. They have no Mani Shankar Aiyars. I am Mani Shankar Aiyar because Nehru was a rebel against Gandhi, Subhash Bose was a rebel against Gandhi. Yet Gandhi made Jawaharlal Nehru the PM of India. If Subhas Bose had survived the aircrash on 17th August 1945, I am certain he would have been the President of India. So, that is how they dealt with dissidence. How does the present Congress deal with it? They put somebody like Pawan Khera as the official spokesman. I have absolutely no respect and complete contempt for Pawan Khera,' Mani Shankar Aiyar said.

He also described Pawan Khera as a 'puppet' who just repeats what party MP Jairam Ramesh tells him. He stated that Khera is not a spokesperson but a 'parrot.' Highlighting Congress' alliance with the Left parties at the national level, Aiyar stated that there have been better candidates for the Congress spokesperson role than Pawan Khera.

'I want you to send a message to Pawan Khera. He has allied with MA Baby in Delhi and he is getting upset about my being allied with Pinarayi Vijayan here. What kind of Congressi is he? Above all, how stupid can a party be than to make Pawan Khera the spokesman? There are a million people in Congress who would make a better spokesman. This chap is just a puppet, he is saying whatever Jairam Ramesh tells him. He repeats the same thing, he is not a spokesman, he is a parrot,' Aiyar said.

He also called himself a member of the Congress party, stating that if Pawan Khera expelled him, he would happily leave. 'I am in the Congress party, I haven't left it. If Pawan Khera is going to expel me, I will happily go outside and kick his backside after I have left,' he added.

Khera has dubbed Aiyar's remarks on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as his personal opinion and stating that the former Union Panchayati Raj Minister has no connection with the party.

'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 wrote on 'X'.

Yesterday, while addressing the State Planning Board Vision 2031, International Conference On Development and Democracy in Thiruvananthapuram, Aiyar expressed the possibility of the return of LDF government in the State.

Addressing the event in which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also present, Aiyar reiterated his earlier plea, calling for amendments to State laws to reestablish Kerala as the best Panchayati Raj state.

'So in the presence of the Chief Minister, who I'm sure will be the next Chief Minister, I renew my plea that in order to reinforce Kerala as the best Panchayati Raj state in the country, the State law should be amended on the basis of the experience we have, on the basis of Thomas Isaac's insights, on the basis of a five-volume report, of which I was the chairman, and above all, on the note on district planning by VK Ramachandran, which was circulated by the Planning Commission, when the Planning Commission actually believed in Panchayati Raj. I'm afraid there is no champion for Panchayati Raj left in the country,' Aiyar said. (ANI)