'Congress has no future': BJP gloats over Chidambaram's INDIA Bloc remarks

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Friday (May 16) took a swipe at the Congress over its veteran leader P Chidambaram's remark on the Opposition INDIA alliance, saying even Rahul Gandhi's "close aide" knows that the party has no future.

This comes after Congress leader P Chidambaram described the BJP as a “formidable machinery” and raised doubts about the future of the INDIA alliance at an event in New Delhi.

BJP reacts

Latching onto Chidambaram's remarks, BJP's national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari immediately shared a video of the Rajya Sabha member’s views on X.

Bhandari said in the post on X, "Congress Leader P Chidambaram predicts: 'Opposition will not be intact in future, BJP is a formidable organisation'."

"Even Rahul Gandhi's close aides know Congress has no future," he added.

Also read: BJP to organise 'Tiranga Yatra' following success of Op Sindoor

What Chidambaram said

Speaking at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav's book "Contesting Democratic Deficit", Chidambaram said, "The future (of INDIA bloc) is not so bright, as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seems to feel that the alliance is still intact, but I am not sure".

"It is only Salman (Khurshid) who can answer because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA bloc. If the alliance is totally intact, I will be very, very happy. But it shows at the seams that it is frayed," the Rajya Sabha MP added.

"It can be put together. There is still time. There are still events which will unfold..."he added. Chidambaram then lavished praise on the BJP for its organizational skills.

The former Union finance minister warned that the INDIA bloc was fighting against a "formidable machinery", which must be fought on all fronts. "... in my experience, in my reading of history, there has been no political party which is so formidably organised as the BJP. In every department, it is formidable," he said.

"It is not (just) another political party," he added.

Motley collection

Meanwhile, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the BJP's new Kerala unit chief, also dubbed the Congress-led INDIA alliance a "motley collection" that came together only because of its members’ "love for corruption".

"The BJP is a formidable party because it believes in strong values/principles of India First, and cares for all Indians -- and so has the support of most Indians," he said on X.

Earlier, Amit Malviya of the BJP’s IT cell also made fun of the Congress.

"Chidambaram used the word ‘formidable’ six times to describe the BJP and its election machinery in a speech that lasted less than three minutes,” he said on social media.

Also read: Ram Gopal Yadav stirs row with Vyomika Singh 'caste' remark; Yogi, Mayawati react

“The successive defeats have left the Congress scarred, much like Pakistan after its bases were destroyed by the Indian Air Force," Malviya added.

Upcoming state assembly polls

Chidamabaram's warning comes months before Assembly elections will be held in Bihar, a state now ruled by the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP.

Similar elections will follow in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu next year.

Also read: Annamalai hits back at Chidambaram, 'thanks' him for acknowledging GDP growth