Rahul Gandhi’s ‘can’t hug Pinarayi’ remark stirs Congress-Left clash; KC Venugopal hits back
New Delhi: Signs of tension have surfaced within the INDIA alliance after Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi came under criticism from Left parties over remarks he made about former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a recent meeting of the opposition grouping.
The controversy erupted after an audio recording from the INDIA bloc's June 8 meeting became public. In the recording, Gandhi was heard saying that he would not embrace Vijayan because of their ongoing political rivalry in Kerala.
According to the audio, Gandhi said that while political parties within the alliance may have differences, he could not be expected to hug the former Kerala Chief Minister as he was engaged in a continuing political battle with him.
Kerala rivalry takes centre stage
The Congress and the CPM have long been political adversaries in Kerala despite working together at the national level as part of the INDIA alliance.
The remarks gained further attention because Congress recently defeated the Left Democratic Front government led by Vijayan, ending his tenure after two consecutive terms in office.
The episode has triggered a wider discussion within opposition circles, with some leaders questioning what the remarks reveal about the functioning and future cohesion of the alliance.
Pinarayi Vijayan questions political message
Responding to the controversy, Vijayan downplayed the issue of physical gestures, saying that hugging had never been a customary part of his interactions with Congress leaders.
He noted that exchanges between them are generally limited to formal greetings or handshakes. At the same time, he pointed out that images of him embracing Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 remain widely available online.
Vijayan said his concern was not about whether someone chooses to hug another leader. Instead, he argued that the comments carried a broader political message and reflected Gandhi's perception of the INDIA alliance and its internal relationships.
Left leaders sharpen criticism
The CPM responded strongly to Gandhi's remarks, with several senior leaders accusing the Congress leader of missing the larger political point.
CPM General Secretary MA Baby said no one had asked Gandhi to hug Vijayan, but maintained that Congress should stop demanding the former Kerala Chief Minister's arrest.
Party MP John Brittas also weighed in, arguing that the issue was not about personal gestures but about the political integrity and credibility of the INDIA alliance.
Senior CPM leader Brinda Karat said the party was not seeking hugs from anyone and that communists were interested in clear political positions rather than symbolic displays. She also urged Gandhi, in his capacity as Leader of Opposition, to show respect towards opposition leaders such as Vijayan.
Congress hits back
The Congress responded sharply to the criticism, with AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal accusing the CPM of using Gandhi as a convenient target to deflect attention from its own political setbacks.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Venugopal alleged that the Left party's criticism stemmed from political insecurity and a failure to honestly assess the reasons behind its recent electoral losses.
According to him, instead of examining the causes of its poor performance in Kerala, the CPM had chosen to focus its attacks on Gandhi. He warned that the party could face even greater electoral defeats if it continued down that path.
'Breaking a mirror' comparison
Venugopal compared the CPM’s criticism of Gandhi to someone breaking a mirror because they did not like the reflection staring back at them.
He further argued that the Marxist party's criticism was particularly ironic given that, outside Kerala, many CPM representatives in Parliament rely on the support of Congress and its allies.
The Congress leader also claimed that several Left leaders had secured victories in states outside Kerala with the backing of the Congress-led alliance, a fact he said the CPM was conveniently overlooking.
Differing visions within the alliance
Defending the INDIA bloc, Venugopal said the alliance had been formed at the initiative of the Congress to safeguard democracy and the Constitution from what he described as the BJP’s authoritarian tendencies.
He said the alliance's primary objective was to politically challenge and defeat the BJP at the national level.
According to Venugopal, Congress approaches politics with a broader national perspective, while the CPM remains focused on regional considerations.
He argued that this limited outlook had contributed to the weakening of the communist movement in states such as West Bengal.
Congress defends Rahul Gandhi
Venugopal also defended Gandhi against the criticism directed at him by Left leaders.
He said Gandhi has consistently been at the forefront of the opposition's campaign against the BJP and has personally faced political targeting because of his stance.
With agency inputs