P Chidambaram adds, “We’ll think of a more transparent way; electoral bonds are the worst way out.”

Congress Working Committee member and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram speaks with Cynthia Chandran of TNIE briefly on electoral ties and Rahul Gandhi’s potential to run from Amethi.

Is there any misunderstanding over the Nehru family members’ candidacies in Amethi and Raebareli?

Nothing is unclear. Neither the central election committee nor I are members. Rahul Gandhi is running in the Wayanad seat. I’m certain that he will be elected by the people there.The CEC will decide whether or not he should run (from Amethi). It will determine whether Rahul or Priyanka Gandhi must run for office.

Political parties cannot exist on state funding alone during an election. What do you consider to be a solution?

Other than using public money and private fundraising, there are other options. The election bond was a poor decision.It was the least desirable exit. As usual, the BJP severely damaged the electoral relationship. As I have said from day one, it was unconstitutional. What I termed “legalized bribery” The Supreme Court overturned it. We (the INDIA alliance) will choose a different, more open method of financing the political party elections if we manage to establish a government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi have been trading accusations and denials in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, with the latter often coming in for mockery.

This is a result of the Prime Minister’s belief that no one can surpass him and that no one can succeed him. He doesn’t realize that there have been outstanding prime ministers and leaders before him, and there will be more. The political life of every leader is finite. Never assume that you are immortal or that you will always be in the political sphere.

I apologize for Modi’s mockery of Gandhi. History will decide who made a greater contribution to peace, togetherness, and brotherhood—Gandhi or Modi. Gandhi, in my opinion, accomplished a great deal by traveling hundreds of kilometers on foot to spread love, harmony, and fraternity across many societal groups. I believe history will appreciate that he took the time to do this.