New Delhi: There will be serious consequences if Narendra Modi becomes the Prime Minister, Union Minister P Chidamabarm on Sunday said, and warned BJP that it too will pay a heavy price for letting Gujarat Chief Minister and his "coterie" "take over" the party.
The Congress leader said BJP is now a shadow political party which has not been able to come out with its Lok Sabha election manifesto though the first round of voting will be tomorrow.
But the BJP was quick to hit back at Chidambaram, with Arun Jaitley saying the Minister`s remarks reflect that the Congress is resigned to its defeat and is reeling under "great sense of depression".
Targeting the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Chidambaram said, "Modi has taken over the party. He has over taken the party. It is no longer BJP government. It is Modi government. In Hindi the slogan is not `bha ja pa sarkar`, it`s `Modi sarkar`.
"Yesterday, he has the audacity to say `vote for me` and he says nothing can prevent me from becoming the PM. I think the BJP is now a shadow of a political party. It is being taken over and overtaken by an individual and his coterie."
Chidambaram said, "I think, BJP will pay a heavy price for this kind of situation where an individual has usurped the party, which is why BJP is unable to publish its manifesto, even when the first round of voting is going to take place tomorrow".
"There will be serious consequences if Modi became the Prime Minister," he said.
Jaitley retorted by saying that the Congress can comment once the Modi government is formed.
"Chidamabaram`s statement presumes that Narendra Modi is becoming the PM and now he is preparing for the next round of politics.
"Well, let him take over and then they are entitled to comment on his performance."
"I see a great sense of depression in the Congress... when there is an election, they should depend on voter`s choice. Ultimately what the voters desire, will prevail."
