P Chidambaram has taken on Narendra Modi's claim that the NDA signed off in 2004 with 8.4% growth, while the UPA will be signing off next year at growth rates below 5%. "I wonder why Narendra Modi should stage a fake encounter with facts," Chidambaram said.

Among other things, Chidambaram got hot under the collar and pointed out that the average rate of growth of the NDA was just 6% when the UPA's average was more than 8%. The problem is, both Modi and Chidambaram are stretching the truth - as all politicians do. The truth is not fully on either side: the NDA did sign off on a high note but the UPA will be ending its second tenure by registering probably the lowest growth in a decade - at 4.4-4.8%. Read More

Jyothi Shankaran

    Jyothi’s last role was as Senior Editor with the business news channel Bloomberg TV India. He also worked as News Editor at business-standard.com, the online version of the business newspaper Business Standard. Jyothi is a chemical engineer from the Regional Engineering College, Srinagar.