New Delhi, December 20
Home Minister P Chidambaram today told the BJP that it would have to wait for at least a decade to come to power. “For the next 10 years, the Congress or a government led by it will remain in power in Delhi,” Chidambaram said while speaking at the party's plenary session in support of the economic resolution.
“I want to tell the BJP ‘aapka number nahin aayega’ (your turn will not come) for the next decade or even after that,” the Home Minister said, maintaining that the BJP was “envious of the Congress” because of its “electability and re-electability” and its record of delivering growth.
Comparing the BJP-led NDA government’s performance with that of the UPA-I and UPA-II, Chidambaram said while the average growth rate during the entire NDA rule was 5.8 per cent, “ours is a mirror image -- at 8.5 per cent during UPA-I”. The UPA-II government’s first year experienced a 7.4 per cent growth rate and the second year is poised to achieve 9 per cent, he added.
Talking about states ruled by non-Congress parties, he said the governments there could not give the excuse of not having the funds to implement major Central schemes. The cash balance of states, as late as two days ago, stood at Rs 95,398 crore.
“If any state tells you that they don’t have money, I will tell you, don’t believe that government,” he said, adding that the Central devolution to states would touch the Rs 3 lakh crore mark in the current financial year.
Maintaining that the food security Bill was in the advanced stage of consideration, he said the government in the coming days should also ensure implementation of measures for development of tribals and ensure social security, universal employment and the right to identity.
