Pralhad Joshi says P Chidambaram was 'a disaster' as Union minister, calls him 'disastrum'

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked former finance minister P Chidambaram on Friday, claiming that he is incapable of contesting elections on his own. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi responded to Chidambaram's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is afraid of losing elections and that the Centre was a disaster by saying that Chidambaram "loses even Grampanchayat polls without DMK's support."

The Union Minister told news agency ANI, "Chidambaram loses even Gram Panchayat polls if he contests on his own. He became MP when DMK stood with Congress. He can't contest one poll on his own. He himself is disastrous." He added, "As the then Finance Minister and Home Minister, he made a disaster out of the country's finance and security. He is not Chidambaram but 'disastrum'."

P Chidambaram attacks PM Modi

Joshi's remark on Chidambaram came after the latter said that the BJP government at the Centre is a "disastrous government" while speaking at a three-day camp for Congress activists in Assam.

Chidambaram claimed that the government is dividing the country based on religion in order to win elections. "Modi has no fear of anyone or anything, including his own party, members of parliament, chief ministers, ministers, the president, vice president, judges, God, or anyone else. He just has one fear: losing an election. He does not want to lose an election under any circumstances. I'm delighted he has a fear of something," Chidambaram said, adding, "The only way to keep this hopelessly incompetent government under control is to defeat them in every election. I'm not saying we'll be successful, but we must make a serious attempt."

Referring to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's recovery following a devastating electoral defeat in 1977, the former Union home and finance minister urged Congress members to have faith in their party's ability to win again.

In the 2024 general elections, the Congress party has called for a united front against the BJP. Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) president and West Bengal Chief Minister, has made a similar statement, saying that if the BJP is defeated in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, a non-Congress front should emerge across the country. 

(With inputs from ANI, Image: PTI)