The future of minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh after his China gaffe hangs in the balance, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi yet to take a final call on him.
A senior minister said that since Dr Singh and Mrs Gandhi were seized of the matter after Mr Ramesh met both of them on returning from China, it was up to them to take the final call. “There are reports that he offered to resign, but nothing can be said conclusively until the Prime Minister takes a final decision. It is his prerogative,” the minister said.
The indications are that Mr Ramesh is not going, at least for now, but the chapter should not be considered closed. “Even if he is not asked to quit now, there still remains a challenge for him to get renominated to the Rajya Sabha in order to continue in office,” a senior party leader said.
Mr Ramesh’s Rajya Sabha term is due to end in June.
The 56-year-old minister, whose remarks critical of government policy while on Chinese soil have caused considerable embarrassment, appears to have got a temporary reprieve, a section of the Congress believes.
A section of Congress leaders in Andhra Pradesh, which he currently represents in the Rajya Sabha, have opposed his renomination.
A veteran party leader noted, however, that Rajya Sabha nominations in the Congress were not decided by state units but by the Congress president. “Once she decides on any name, the MLAs have to abide by that,” he said.
Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Mr Ramesh had offered to resign, but this had been rejected by Dr Singh. The Opposition, meanwhile, stepped up pressure for Mr Ramesh’s removal.
“Ramesh’s apology to the home minister is completely inadequate, and what he said in China is inappropriate... The minister is at odds with what is happening in the government. The Prime Minister should remove him,” said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.