Kerala Assembly polls 2026: Rahul Gandhi calls CM Pinarayi Vijayan a ‘right-wing puppet’

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has called Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan a “right-wing puppet” who simply follows instructions.

He was addressing a public election meeting here on Saturday (April 4, 2026). Mr. Gandhi alleged that while the Chief Minister and his family were “rolling in money,” Kerala remained trapped in debt exceeding ₹6 lakh crore.

“Nearly 75% of paddy farmers in Kerala are in debt, about which the government has done nothing. There has been an inordinate delay in paddy procurement. The Chief Minister’s mind is elsewhere. One out of three youngsters in Kerala is unemployed, and they can hope to find jobs only if affiliated to the Left. Kerala is leading the country in drug abuse,” Mr. Gandhi said.

He further alleged that U.S. President Donald Trump controls Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, by extension, the country’s entire policy framework. “This is the power of control in politics. Modi has destroyed the future of India merely to safeguard his image,” he said.

“Farmers, youngsters, labourers and entrepreneurs of this country are going to suffer. In a few months, the country will witness the devastation caused by fuel price hikes,” Mr. Gandhi said.

He claimed that Mr. Trump had said he could destroy Mr. Modi’s career at any time, which is actually true. “The moment I mentioned Epstein in Parliament, Mr. Modi’s hands started shaking. He asked Amit Shah to stop me from speaking, who in turn looked at the Speaker. For the next four hours, I was not allowed to speak, after which the Prime Minister literally ran away,” Mr. Gandhi said.

“However, Modi cannot run away from Trump. That is why he signed a deal with the U.S., surrendering the country’s agriculture, data and energy security. Even if Russia, Iran or Iraq offer us cheap oil, we cannot buy it without U.S. permission. In fact, Trump says Modi calls him ‘sir’,” Mr. Gandhi said.