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HomeOpinionNewsmaker of the WeekOnce the Amit Shah of UPA govt, tables have turned for Chidambaram

Once the Amit Shah of UPA govt, tables have turned for Chidambaram

UPA government’s most powerful minister, P. Chidambaram is now staring at the darkest abyss.

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Arrested by the CBI in the INX Media case amid high drama and frenzy Wednesday night, former union minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram is the big newsmaker of this week.

For the suave politician – who was arguably the most powerful minister in the UPA government and who held more sway than most of his colleagues put together – the chase-and-arrest by the CBI would have felt like being plunged into the darkest abyss of his public life.

Political trajectory

The 73-year-old politician from Tamil Nadu began his career with the Congress, and soon became a Gandhi-family loyalist. In 1984, when Rajiv Gandhi came to power with a resounding mandate following former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Chidambaram won his first Lok Sabha election from Sivaganga and went on to become a junior minister in the government.

Chidambaram’s bond with the Congress was not always enduring – in 1996, he quit the party briefly to join the Tamil Maanila Congress following a disagreement over the issue of political alliances.

That interim period was a ‘dream’ phase in Chidambaram’s career. In 1997, he presented what came to be known as the ‘dream budget’ for the coalition government led by then-Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. The budget, which announced bold reforms, drew the attention of even his detractors towards his acumen and abilities as a finance minister.


Also read: What separates Modi’s NDA from Manmohan Singh’s UPA – Chidambaram’s arrest


UPA’s most powerful minister

When he re-joined the Congress, these very qualities made him perhaps the most powerful minister in the UPA government, from 2004 to 2014. Chidambaram held crucial portfolios – finance, home and then finance again – in that decade.

As the finance minister in the early years of the UPA 1 government, Chidambaram had to perform the delicate act of balancing the Left bloc’s (a key ally) economic outlook with the need for market reform. His Rs 60,000-crore farm loan waiver in the 2008 Budget was among the bouquet of welfare initiatives that is believed to have helped the UPA return to power with a bigger mandate in the 2009 elections.

Chidambaram’s razor-sharp mind, legal acumen and political astuteness ensured he emerged as the most indispensable troubleshooter for the Congress, especially after veteran leader Pranab Mukherjee became the President of India.

His aura and power, however, came with a dash of arrogance – with several of his colleagues as well as the media turning resentful of his disposition.

Among the most controversial aspects of Chidambaram’s political journey was his election from Sivaganga in 2009, with many questioning the genuineness of the victory.


Also read: Chidambaram arrest shows a new normal. Under Modi-Shah, nobody is above the law


The Shah-Chidambaram clash

Chidambaram was at the helm of the home ministry in 2010 when now Home Minister Amit Shah was arrested in the Sohrabuddin ‘encounter’ case. This also led to Shah being barred from entering Gujarat for two years.

Now with Shah as the Home Minister, the tables have turned and the once-super powerful and influential Chidambaram finds himself in the CBI’s net. To nobody’s surprise, his party is now accusing the Modi government of misusing the investigative agency, much like the BJP had done when Shah was sent behind bars.

Ironically, Chidambaram has been kept in the lock-up at the CBI headquarters, whose inauguration he attended as the home minister in 2011. Used to the comforts of his plush Jor Bagh residence, the former union minister’s immediate concerns while in custody are – a clean, rat-free space and hygienic food.


Also read: Chidambaram arrest: Political drama or govt can’t risk it after Mallya, Nirav Modi flight?


 

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9 COMMENTS

  1. The facts presented here have been making rounds in Twitter for the last few days ! Dr Swamy and NDTV Frauds revealed a lot on PC. The circle of life gets completed with PC vindicating Amit Shah and Amit Shah doing the same to PC. And what this “Opinion” piece offers nothing in the form of opinion. The piece is like an assignment given to a CBSE Class IX student to write about an event as a part of holiday homework.
    Need more meat and mettle please !
    My 2 cents,
    Regards,

  2. Congress have adopted a policy of self suicide by helping BJP in its hidden menifesto of brahmanwadcongress is on backfoot as it dont even have any issue to be raised against BJP but only to damage contrl against Bjp attack it is unable to defend itself in propaganda war

  3. I think PChi will have a quid pro quo hidden up his sleeve. Worse case scenario, he might join the BJP and he will be declared as washed clean of all sins.

  4. When you had the chance to lock up the criminals, the butchers of Gujarat, the encounter kings, you did not. You decided to appease the Hindu majority instead of the cause of justice.
    You deserve all you get.

  5. Shri Chidambaram had ample opportunity to uncage the parrot during his time as a powerful minister. Now he has ample time to rue over those deliberately missed opportunities. This is Karma, not vendetta, which our anglicised journalists are writing about.

  6. The FM’s chamber in North Block is reportedly the size of a football field. A senior journalist once remarked that he had never seen any occupant so dominate it as Shri P Chidambaram did. That level of competence is becoming rare in our public life.

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