New Delhi, June 7
Already under siege for his alleged role in the irregular allotment of 2G Spectrum and the Aircel-Maxis deal, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram found himself in fresh trouble on Thursday.

The Madras High Court’s refusal to dismiss a petition challenging Chidambaram’s election to the Lok Sabha in 2009 provided new ammunition to the Opposition, which pressed for his resignation. An unfazed Chidambaram, however, rejected the demand, stating that the verdict was not a setback for him but for his rival.

Mocking BJP president Nitin Gadkari and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s demand for his removal, the Union Home Minister remarked that he was “astonished by their monumental ignorance”.

“I am astonished by the monumental ignorance displayed by certain political leaders. This is an election petition. There are 111 election petitions filed against members of the 15th Lok Sabha,” Chidambaram told mediapersons this evening even as his Cabinet colleagues and the Congress defended him stoutly.

Stating that the election petition against him only contained allegations, Chidambaram said: “Issues have not been framed yet . Trial has not started yet. Not even one witness has been examined.”

The clamour for Chidambaram’s ouster was triggered after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court declined his plea for the dismissal of a petition filed against him by losing AIADMK candidate RS Rajakannappan from the Sivaganga constituency in 2009.

The petitioner had alleged that Chidambaram had won by a wafer-thin majority through corrupt means and by using his undue influence as a Central minister. He further alleged that the minister’s son Karti had intimidated voters, while the returning officers deployed on election duty were officials from nationalised banks.

While all these allegations were struck down, Justice K Venkataraman’s order said Chidambaram would have to face the trial with regard to other allegations made in the petition.

Reacting to the verdict, Gadkari said the Home Minister had no moral right to continue. In Chennai, Jayalalithaa said Chidambaram’s continuation in office would be a “blot on democracy”. The BJP has been targeting Chidambaram ever since the UPA government began probing the alleged role of Hindu terror groups in the Malegoan and Samjhauta blast cases.