P Chidambaram: Congress has ‘alternative narrative’

New Delhi: As Rahul Gandhi took over the helm of Congress, former Union minister and senior leader P. Chidambaram said the grand old party will create an “alternative narrative” which would be based on fairness, equal opportunity and jobs for youth. Mr Chidambaram tweeted that the new Congress president’s inaugural speech on Saturday had laid down the contours of an alternative narrative that the party will put forward before the people.

He said: “Our (Congress’) idea of India is different from the BJP’s. Mr Rahul Gandhi called upon India’s youth to defend our idea of India, and I am sure the young will respond.”

The senior Congress leader said his party’s recollection of India’s history was different from that of the BJP. He said: “The Congress will build an alternative narrative based on fairness, equal opportunity, jobs for the youth, and lifting 250 million people out of poverty.”

After his formal takeover as Congress chief on Saturday, Mr Gandhi on Sunday set the tone of the future course and how the party would take on its arch-rival, the BJP.

In his first speech to party workers after his takeover as Congress president, Mr Gandhi said the Congress stood for inclusive politics and that it respected all Indians, that extends even to the ruling party.

He said that his party had brought India into the 21st century and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was now taking India back to medieval times.