New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday alleged that the government was planning Income Tax raids at his residence in a bid to cripple the Lok Sabha election campaign.

Chidambaram  said the people of the country were watching and would give a befitting reply in this election. "I have been told that the I-T Department has plans to raid my residence in Sivaganga constituency and in Chennai. We will welcome the search party," he said on Twitter.

"The I-T department knows that we have nothing to hide. They and other agencies have searched our residences before and found nothing. The intention is to cripple the election campaign," he claimed.

The former finance minister said the people are watching the "excesses of this government and will deliver a fitting lesson in the elections". Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram is contesting the Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu. He is facing charges of corruption and is out on bail.