On Feb. 22, 2026, Mani Shankar Aiyar urged Rahul Gandhi to step down as leader of the INDIA bloc, calling for Mamata Banerjee to take the role.

On February 22, 2026, senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar publicly urged Rahul Gandhi to step aside as leader of the INDIA bloc, advocating instead for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to lead the opposition coalition. Aiyar stated that Banerjee’s role is central to the bloc’s cohesion and that regional leaders like DMK’s M.K. Stalin, SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav should play greater roles. His comments reflect growing internal tensions within the Congress over leadership and strategy ahead of upcoming national elections, though no formal changes have been made. The West Bengal Congress dismissed Aiyar’s remarks, noting his lack of active involvement, while TMC leaders reaffirmed their focus on defeating the BJP in the 2026 state elections.