New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram underscored the importance of an opposition party's readiness for elections in a parliamentary democracy. His remarks followed statements by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Yadav, who suggested that the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government could face a potential collapse by August, leading to early elections.
In an interview on Sunday, Chidambaram highlighted that in a parliamentary democracy, unlike a fixed presidential term, the government is accountable daily and can be defeated at any time. When asked about the possibility of the current government completing its five-year term, he pointed to Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar as examples. Both leaders, whose parties—Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal United (JDU)—emerged as 'kingmakers' in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, were pivotal in the NDA bloc's formation.
Chidambaram also addressed the Congress party’s stance on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which grants Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. He reiterated the Congress and the INDIA bloc's opposition to the CAA, contrasting it with the BJP’s argument that the law provides expedited citizenship to persecuted minorities.
On Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Manipur, Chidambaram praised him for fulfilling the role of Leader of the Opposition by meeting affected individuals and raising their concerns in Parliament. In contrast, he criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being occupied with international visits and events, suggesting that Modi’s busy schedule has prevented him from addressing the situation in Manipur, which has been grappling with ethnic violence since May 3 last year.
The violence in Manipur erupted following clashes during a rally organized by the All Tribal Students Union (ATSU), protesting the demand for the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe category. Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the relief camps in Manipur and his call for the Prime Minister to visit the state underscore the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the need for high-level attention and intervention.
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