CBI raids are politically motivated, says Tamil Nadu Congress chief

CHENNAI: Following the CBI raids at the residences of former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti on Tuesday morning, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president S Thirunavukkarasar slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for “misusing government machinery”, especially in Tamil Nadu.
Describing the raids as “politically motivated”, he alleged that the Central government officials “are very active only in Tamil Nadu”.
He alleged that the BJP started interfering with the internal affairs of the AIADMK, after the death of former chief minister, J Jayalalithaa. “Jayalalithaa was a strong leader. Prime Minister Modi came to her house and had lunch with her in her house. She was a powerful leader. After that there is no one. Knowing that there is a vacuum or there is no strong leader in the AIADMK, they [BJP] have started blackmailing, threatening AIADMK ministers,” the TNCC chief alleged.
In order to “have a base in Tamil Nadu for the future President and Vice President elections and Parliament elections”, he alleged, the BJP government is “misusing their government machinery to threaten the AIADMK leaders”. He also alleged that the BJP, which “does not have a base of alliance partner in TN” is trying to do so “by threatening the AIADMK government and party.”
“Now, they have started with Congress. Mr Chidambaram is a senior leader in Congress. On issues like demonetisation, in and outside the Parliament, he has put forth his views against the BJP government. Now, just to threaten and blackmail all these other opposition parties, they [BJP] are doing these kind of things,” he alleged. He added, “They [BJP] are doing it only in TN. On behalf of the TNCC, I condemn this kind of blackmailing activities of the Central government”.