Chidambaram accuses Centre of making attempts to hijack democracy

Jaipur,: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday accused the BJP-led central government of making "nefarious attempts to hijack democracy" through investigating agencies.

The former Union minister said it is the right of the people of Rajasthan to decide which party should form the next government in the state but a handful of people hiding behind acronyms such as CBI, ED and IT want to decide the fate of the elections.

"Never before in the history of India have a few faceless people been deployed to decide the future of a state. That is what the BJP government at the Centre is doing in Rajasthan and that is a clear and present danger to the people of Rajasthan," Chidambaram told reporters at a press conference.

He further said, "I have come here to appeal to the people of Rajasthan to wake up to the clear and present danger and reject these nefarious attempts to hijack democracy."

The Congress leader also appealed to the public to choose the next government based on their party of choice, its past record and promises on how it will govern the state during the next five years.

Chidambaram claimed the Congress government in Rajasthan waived farm loans to the tune of Rs 15,427 crore in five years, benefitting 20 lakh farmers and their families, besides implementing free treatment facility for residents under the Chiranjeevi Yojana and a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to 93 lakh beneficiaries.

Voting to the 200-member state assembly in Rajasthan will be held on November 25.