Madhya Pradesh Elections: Chidambaram defends Congress promise to ban RSS shakhas in government buildings

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram Sunday defended the party's manifesto for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections promising to restrict RSS shakhas in government offices in the state. "There was nothing wrong in it and government servants, as long as they are working, shouldn't associate with a political party openly,” Chidambaram said.

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''RSS is a political organisation. If Congress party in MP in their manifesto has said that it will put an end to this practice, I see nothing wrong with that. Governments servants as long as they are working in government shouldn't openly associate with a political party,'' Chidambaram said.

RSS is a political org. If Congress party in MP in their manifesto has said it will put an end to this practice, I see nothing wrong with that. Governments servants as long as they are working in govt shouldn't openly associate with a political party: Congress's P Chidambaram pic.twitter.com/14RinugpsI

— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2018

The former finance minister also said that his party hopes to form statewise coalitions ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls and remains confident of forging an electoral alliance with like-minded parties.

''We hope to form state-wise coalitions and if the coalition wins in each state then that is the victory of the 'Mahagathbandhan'. We are confident that we can form coalitions in each state,'' news agency ANI qouted him as saying.

We hope to form state-wise coalitions and if the coalition wins in each state then that is the victory of the 'Mahagathbandhan'. We are confident that we can form coalitions in each state: Congress leader P Chidambaram on 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in Madhya Pradesh's Indore pic.twitter.com/5zlQpky6xW

— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2018

Titled “Vachan Patra (Promissory note)”, the manifesto was released in the presence of Congress party's likely CM candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh and other state party leaders on Saturday.

In the “Vachan Patra”, the Congress has promised to pay Rs 10,000 as Unemployment Allowance to one unemployed youth of a family. The party has also promised to waive off farm loans and reduce electricity bill of farmers by 50 per cent.

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Jyotiraditya Scindia termed the manifesto a 'Promissory note' with a positive and a progressive thinking.

“We have positive, progressive thinking. This is the first time a party is putting forward not just an election manifesto but a Promissory note,” Scindia said while releasing the manifesto.'