Congress manifesto scripted by dad is our poll hero: Karti Chidambaram

Despite being caught in legal tangles, including a case of money laundering, Karti Chidambaram is confidence personified as the Congress candidate in

Sivaganga

, a Lok Sabha constituency his father P Chidambaram represented seven times. Brushing off reports that cases against him had delayed his candidature, Karti tells Jaya Menon that the delay was because Congress president Rahul Gandhi was considering contesting in Sivaganga.


Q: How do you assess your opponents’ strength and weakness?

A: There are 25 contesting this election here. I don’t pay much attention to them.
Q: What about your main rival BJP’s H Raja?

A: I don’t pay attention to anyone.
Q: Could the ongoing investigation into charges of money laundering against you impact your prospects?

A: Everyone knows this is harassment tactics. In India, investigations are open-ended and never-ending. It is meaningless. Technically, you can investigate the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi for the next 100 years. If you look at the pattern of people getting searched and raided, it is only the opposition. These are all scare tactics of the BJP and has no relevance whatsoever to the electoral process.
Q: The choice of candidature for Sivaganga was mired in controversy. Why?

A: While the candidate list for other constituencies was released on a Friday, Sivaganga was released on Sunday. We all filed our nominations on Monday - Tuesday. There was discussion over whether Rahul Gandhi would like to contest in Sivaganga. So there was a little mulling. That’s all. There was no controversy.
Q: Former MP Sudarshana Nachiappan spoke out against not getting the ticket.
A: The day I filed my nomination he met me and promised me support. I know him personally for 15 years.
Q: Your father has given up the seat for you.

My father is a Rajya Sabha member. His term ends only in 2020.

Q: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said your father did nothing for Sivaganga.

A: I don’t think people pay attention to the CM. Without a mandate nobody considers him to be the CM. He should talk about the eight-year track-record of his government and what it has done for the people.
Q: What are P Chidambaram’s achievements for the constituency?

A: I have a 29-page booklet on his achievements. It’s already up on my Facebook page and Twitter. I wish the AIADMK MP, who was here for five years, can bring out at least a 14-and-a-half-page booklet.

Q: Your wife Srinidhi is taking care of your online campaign. What is the online plan?

A: It is not just her. The Congress party has a full-fledged IT wing. Sivaganga is a huge rural constituency. Online campaigns have a certain penetration but we are not relying on just social media. We also rely on feet-on-the-street campaign style.

Q: Is the

Congress manifesto

, which your father helped prepare, the hero of this campaign?

A: Absolutely. The farm loan waiver and the NYAY scheme have got great resonance among the people. We are pointing out the disastrous decisions of the government and telling them what we will do.
Q: Has Congress too succumbed to populism?

A: Not at all. What we are giving them is the right to dignity. People who are marginalized and had not got the same opportunities. We are focusing on the equality of outcomes … equality of opportunities.

Q: What are your promises for Sivaganga?

A: All government schemes will be implemented here. We can give Rajasthan a run for its money by building a heritage tourism circuit here. The houses here are old and fabulous. We are the culinary capital of Tamil Nadu. There is a huge opportunity to brand this place through its food.
Q: You hope to make it to Parliament this time?
A: Of course. Our alliance is going to win handsomely and I’ll ensure Sivaganga is also part of that grand victory.