'Runaway' Chidambaram has reduced nation from 'Shining India' to 'Gloom India': BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday ridiculed Finance Minister P. Chidambram, accusing him of running away from the upcoming general elections, and added that he has reduced the nation from 'Shining India' to 'Gloom India'.

"Criticising the 'Shining India' of NDA rule which ended in 2004, we were told that there is a 'Dream Team' of economists i.e. Dr. Manmohan Singh, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and P.Chidambaram, and together, they will bring an inclusive India," said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.

"Under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership, the growth rate which reached upto eight percent, today has reached well below four percent. Chidambaram, who had remained as the Finance Minister for seven out of ten years of UPA rule, has the distinction of having brought 'Shining India' to 'Gloom India'," added Sitharaman.

She reiterated that there is high degree of joblessness in the country, and added that the gloom has settled in the country. She said that the investors are running away, farmers are committing suicides, inflation is ruining households and every sector of the country is suffering.

"Now, the Finance Minister is running away from contesting the elections. He is not willing to face the public. He has no answer to questions about his achievements as the finance minister. This actually reflects the state of affairs of the Congress and mindset of the party. They are running away from contest," she said.

On Thursday, the Congress had fielded Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's Karti Chidambaram from the Sivaganga constituency in Tamil Nadu. The omission of Chidambaram from the list of candidates strongly indicates that the Finance Minister will be nominated from the Rajya Sabha.