BJP's Gujarat campaign is now 'beyond bizarre': P Chidamabaram takes aim at PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has lashed out at PM Narendra Modi, questioning if the extents to which the BJP is willing to go to ensure it wins the Gujarat elections. Chidambaram took aim at the BJP's decision to bring former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Vice President Hamid Ansari into allegations of conspiracy with Pakistan.

Chidambaram's attack on PM Modi is over his comments at election rallies in Gujarat, where he raised questions over an alleged meeting between senior Congress leader and the Pakistani High Commissioner at Mani Shankar Aiyar's residence on December 6.

"The BJP's campaign in Gujarat in the last few days, especially yesterday, has gone beyond bizarre. Should a political party go to any length to win an election? Is winning an election so important that such allegations can be made against a former Prime Minister and a former Vice President?" Chidambaram, a former Union Minister, tweeted on Monday afternoon.

 

The BJP's campaign in Gujarat in the last few days, especially yesterday, has gone beyond bizarre. Should a political party go to any length to win an election? — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 11, 2017

Is winning an election so important that such allegations can be made against a former Prime Minister and a former Vice President? — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 11, 2017

 

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and Anil Aggarwal had raised the meeting, and alleged that the Congress could be conspiring with Pakistan to ensure the BJP loses the Gujarat election. This was later pick up by PM Modi.

 

Did Pak Ambassador meet MS Aiyar and three other Congi leaders at MSA residence five days ago on Gujarat strategy? Palace coup in offing? — Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 9, 2017

 

The allegations linked the meeting with Aiyar's 'neech' remark, which the BJP and PM Modi have accused of being a casteist slur. However, Aiyar had clarified that he may have misspoken as Hindi is not his mother tongue. He has been suspended by the Congress party.

The conspiracy allegations are the latest slugfest between the Congress and the BJP in what is being touted by some analysts as a close election in Gujarat, PM Modi's home state.

To further add to this controversy, the BJP also picked up on a comment by a former Pakistan Army official, who appealed for Congress's Ahmed Patel to be made chief minister of Gujarat.