Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has once again stirred controversy with his remarks on party colleagues and Kerala politics.In a recent interview to a media house, Aiyar said the Congress won’t win the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls because party leaders “hate each other more than they hate the Communists”.The Congress leader made sharp remarks on four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who has had his share of tussles with the party leadership for his stand on issues such as Operation Sindoor. Calling Tharoor “anti-Pakistan”, Aiyar said he harbours ambitions to be the “next foreign minister”.Aiyar also claimed Pawan Khera is a “puppet” and not the party spokesperson.“He (Khera) has been accusing me for the past two years. If the Congress cannot find anyone other than Pawan Khera to be its spokesman, it will be in the condition it is in,” he said.The disparaging remarks come amid an uproar over Aiyar’s recent praise for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, including a prediction that the Left veteran would continue in the top post following the upcoming polls. The Congress has distanced itself from Aiyar’s remarks, with party leader Pawan Khera saying that Aiyar has no connection with the Congress and speaks in his personal capacity.Aiyar also commented on Jairam Ramesh, saying he must “keep his job”.He made the remarks at a seminar titled ‘Vision 2031: Development and Democracy’. In fact, the state Congress leadership had written to several intellectuals, urging them not to attend the seminar. At the seminar, Aiyar said, “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.”The former Union minister said Kerala tops the chart when it comes to Panchayati Raj and has fulfilled former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s dream.“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 said.Reacting to the remarks, Khera said in a post on X, “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.”Jairam Ramesh added, “Let there be no doubt. The people of Kerala will bring the UDF back for more responsible and responsive governance. They also know LDF and BJP are covert partners.”