New Delhi, Jul 14 (IANS): Slamming Congress leader P. Chidambaram for his remarks on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the BJP on Thursday asked if the former Union minister has forgotten his own record as a failed finance minister.

Earlier on Thursday, in a series of tweets, Chidambaram, a former finance minister, said: "We are not surprised that the Finance Minister tweeted pictures of Jupiter, Pluto and Uranus on the day when Inflation printed at 7.01 per cent and unemployment printed at 7.8 per cent."

"After giving up hope in her own skills and the skills of her economic advisers, the FM has called the planets to the rescue of the economy. To begin with, she should appoint a new CEA: Chief Economic Astrologer," Chidambaram added.

Hitting out at the senior Congress leader, in-charge of BJP's Information and Technology Department Amit Malviya tweeted: "Bereft of any substantial criticism, P Chidambaram, like Subramanian Swamy, the perennial FM in waiting, has now reduced himself to making obnoxious personal comments against FM Nirmala Sitharaman. Such deep rooted misogyny. Has he forgotten his own record as a failed FM?"

"Chidambaram inherited an economy that grew at 8.2 per cent in 2003-04, with manufacturing growing at 7.3 per cent. What did he leave behind? A growth rate of 6.3 per cent, faltering manufacturing, banks on ventilator, and investor confidence at an all-time low. India was among fragile five economies," Malviya said.

He noted that inflation during UPA was in double-digit or near double-digits, not just for a few months but for years on end -- 2009 (10.8 per cent), 2010 (12.1 per cent), 2011 (8.9 per cent), 2012 (9.3 per cent), 2013 (10.9 per cent).

"A pandemic and war has pushed inflation up now, but still it is lower than it ever was under UPA!," he added.