The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed former finance minister P Chidambaram, saying that he cannot even contest polls on his own. Responding to Chidambaram’s allegation that PM Modi fears losing elections, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said that Chidambaram ‘loses even Grampanchayat polls’.

“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… 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’,” Joshi told reporters outside the Parliament.

PM Modi fears losing elections: Chidambaram

His remarks against Chidambaram came after the latter, while addressing a three-day camp for Congress workers in Assam, claimed that the BJP government at the Centre is a ‘disastrous government’.

Alleging that the government is dividing the country on the basis of religion to win elections, Chidambaram said – “Modi has no fear of anything — his party, MPs, CMs, ministers, the president, the vice president, judges, God or anyone else… He fears only one thing — losing an election. Under no circumstances he wants to lose an election. I’m glad that he fears at least something. The only way to control this completely incompetent government is to defeat them in every election possible. I am not saying we will succeed, but we must make a determined effort.” 

The Congress party has called for a united front against the BJP in the 2024 General elections. A similar call has been given by Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has openly signalled that a non-Congress front should come up across the country if the BJP is to be defeated in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.