New Delhi , July 14 : Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram emphasised that in a parliamentary democracy, it is essential for an opposition party to always be prepared for elections.
This statement follows remarks by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Yadav, who suggested that the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, which came to power last month, could fall by August, leading to elections at any time.
In an exclusive interview with ANI on Sunday, P. Chidambaram stated, "An opposition party always has to be ready for elections in a parliamentary democracy. This is not a fixed term like that of the President of the US. Every day, you have to be accountable to Parliament, and you can be defeated at any time."
When asked if the government would last for the next five years, he responded, "You should ask this question to two gentlemen in this country: Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar."
N. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU), both part of the NDA bloc, secured 16 and 12 seats, respectively, in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, emerging as 'kingmakers'.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could not achieve the majority mandate mark in the Lok Sabha polls concluded last month.
P. Chidambaram also discussed the party's stance on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan.
The Congress MP emphasised that the Congress and the INDIA bloc are opposed to the CAA.
"I do not know about Nitish Kumar. But Chandrababu Naidu, on record, has opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act. I hope he holds up his words. I cannot say anything now. The Congress party and the INDIA bloc are opposed to the CAA," he said. (ANI)
