india

Updated: Aug 13, 2019 21:49 IST

A day after senior Congress leader P Chidambaram incurred BJP’s wrath over his comments on Article 370, he was again in the firing line on Tuesday, this time for calling Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK spineless. Under attack, former Union finance minister, however, got cover-fire from the state Congress and its ally DMK.

Chidambaram, speaking at a Sunday event organised by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) on the Kashmir issue and article 370, had likened the AIADMK to slaves who would clap even if the state government was dismissed to Balkanise Tamil Nadu into four Union Territories.

“The AIADMK leaders would bow down in reverence before the BJP with their hands folded and mouth shut. The BJP at the Centre might Balkanise the state into four divisions; Chola, Chera, Pandya and Pallava regions and turn them into Union Territories and it is not improbable” the Congress stalwart had said.

This drew a caustic response from Edappadi K. Palaniswami or EPS, who had thus far reserved acerbic comments only for the DMK president MK Stalin, who never misses an opportunity to taunt the AIADMK and the chief minister.

“What good Chidambaram had done either for the nation or the state? Has he helped solve Cauvery or Mullaperiyar dispute? Has he allocated enhanced financial assistance to Tamil Nadu?” EPS asked, adding, “He is a deadwood.”

Attack on Chidambaram invited a swift response from TNCC president KS Alagiri, who said the chief minister was throwing stones from a glass house.

“Everyone knows how EPS had crawled to display his loyalty to get the chief minister’s post. He should guard his tongue,” he said in a hard hitting statement.

Soon, DMK president MK Stalin too came to Chidambaram’s defence, calling EPS’ remark irresponsible and unbecoming of the office he held.

“The chief minister should know his height. His remark betrays a new low in public discourse. He appears to forget that he holds a high office,” he told the media, adding that the chief minister had even ridiculed his (Stalin’s) visit to the rain ravaged Nilgris as a publicity stunt.