Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday ruled out early polls, saying the government would complete its agenda for 2013 and then go to people in May next year.
Asked if reports of drafting a couple of ministers for party work was an indication of early elections, Mr. Chidambaram at a press conference asserted that polls would take place in time and posed a counter question to drive home his point.
“There will be no early elections. Elections will take place on time in May, 2014…Why should the government expect an early election? All that I said in the last 50 minutes, does that point towards early elections? It points to completing our agenda for 2013-14 and then going for elections in May,” he said.
To a question as to whether apex industry chambers were being used by parties to fight political wars, he said: “You should ask them. Are they planning to convert themselves into political parties? I don't know.”
It may be recalled that while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed India Inc. on consecutive days at a CII conference earlier this week, BJP leader Arun Jaitley also had an interaction with delegates later in another session at the same event.
Gujarat Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi is slated to address a FICCI function on Monday.
