"I am a leader with limited domain": Is Chidambaram upset with Cong?

Chennai, March 28: Union Finance Minister

on Thursday slammed BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying the latter would regret his claims of reviving the economy. "The rupee can't afford to get overvalued as it will affect the exports," Chidambaram said in an interview to Headlines Today's National Affairs Editor Javed Ansari. He counter-questioned Modi's stand on economic issues, saying he doesn't have an understanding of such issues.

The veteran leader, who has opted out from contesting this year's Lok Sabha election and gave way to his son Karthi in Shivaganga constituency of Tamil Nadu, said he wanted to focus on the grassroots level and also do things like reading, writing and communicating with people. He, however, said towards the end of the interview that he hasn't retired from active politics and will return to elections in the future.

Chidambaram, however, seemed to have an anguish towards his own party when he said that the Congress had always warmed up to leaders from the Gandhi family for the prime minister's job. "I belong to a state with a limited domain," the leader said when asked whether he ever had counted himself for the prime minister's job.

Chidambaram also slammed Modi, saying the latter has little knowledge on economy

He also took an indirect dig at his predecessor and now the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, when Ansari told him about Modi's accusing him of leaving the nation's economy in doldrums. "I have been the finance minister for 20 months during the UPA's 10 years of rule and brought the economy back on track," he said.

Chidambaram also took a dig at the Gujarat model of development, calling it an exaggerated story as well as an example of crony capitalism.

The Tamil leader said he will hold a press conference on March 31.

OneIndia News