INDIA bloc frail, BJP formidably organised: Chidambaram embarrasses anti-Modi front

Chidambaram said he would be "happy" if the "alliance is totally intact" but claims its future is "not so bright".

Besides, the former Union Finance Minister emphasised on the "formidable" machinery of the BJP, which is spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Chidambaram made the remarks at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav's book 'Contesting Democratic Deficit: An Inside Story of the 2024 Elections'.

He said, "The future is not so bright as Mr Mritunjay Singh Yadav says. He seems to feel that the INDIA alliance is still intact. I am not sure. Maybe Salman (Khurshid) can answer because he was part of the negotiating team of the INDIA alliance. If the INDIA alliance is totally intact, I would be very, very happy, but it seems frail.

"It can be put together. There is still time. There are still events which will unfold... If you want to take on the formidable BJP machinery, 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. It's not another political party..."

"It's a machine behind which there is a machine and the two machines control all the machinery of India. From the Election Commission of India to the lowest police station in India, they are able to control or sometimes capture these institutions," the Congress leader added.

However, Chidambaram expressed hope in democracy citing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which showed the INDIA bloc restricting the BJP to 240, the figure which made Modi seek mandatory support of its allies.

"The best results of the 2024 elections is that nobody can undermine elections in India. One can interfere, tamper, tinker with elections but can't get rid of elections or have elections where the ruling party gets elected with 98 percent of votes. That's not possible in India...," Chidambaram said.

Taking a dig at Chidambaram, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya wrote on X, "P. Chidambaram used the word “formidable” six times to describe the BJP and its election machinery in a speech that lasted less than three minutes.

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