Citing his poll win numbers, PC objects to Modi comparing himself to Pandit Nehru

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P.Chidambaram on Friday strongly took objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi likening himself to former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on third term in office.

Mr Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third successive term after Pandit Nehru when he assumes office on June 9 night. 

Citing the numbers secured by Mr Nehru in poll victories, Mr Chidambaram set Mr Modi could not compare himself to the monumental record set by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the BJP has failed to secure a simple majority on its own. 

The BJP is all set to form the government with the support of its allies, the regional parties led by by Andhra Pradesh's Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar's Nitish Kumar.

Noting that the BJP had fell short of majority, the Congress mocked at the National Democratic Alliance terming it as ‘Naidu Dependent Alliance or Nitish Dependent Alliance’ and wondered how long the new NDA government will survive.

Referring to Mr Modi, comparing himself with Nehru, Mr Chidambaram, citing the number of seats won by both of them, said the BJP under Modi secured 282 seats (in 2014), 303 (in 2019), and now obtained 240 (32 below the halfway mark).

But Nehru’s Congress secured 361 seats, 374 and 364 seats (attaining full majority), respectively he recalled.

“We reject Modi comparing himself with Nehru and the people will also reject it,” Mr Chidambaram told reporters at the TNCC headquarters here. 

On EVMs, Mr Chidambaram said the Congress did not reject it and only favoured improvement IN VVPAT.

Recalling the point made in Congress manifesto, he said the party has never blamed the EVMs and did not reject it.