Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi has become a major “embarrassment” for the Congress which is now finding it difficult to defend its MP from Pune following controversies ranging from poor construction to money transfers abroad. The Congress is now awaiting the return of party president
Sonia Gandhi to take a view on the controversies surrounding Mr Kalmadi and the CWG. The issue is expected to be taken up in the next Congress core group meeting, which will be held after Mrs Gandhi returns from the US.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, apparently worried about the controversies, is also taking a hard look at the situation since the issue is now taking a political turn. Sports minister M.S. Gill on Saturday said the government “will look into the corruption cases in the Games and take prompt and appropriate action”. With Parliament in its Monsoon Session, the sports minister said: “I believe we must put everything before Parliament and the people.”
The party and the government are looking at the option of setting up a government oversight committee to look into the Games. “Since he cannot be removed from the position as he is also the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the government is looking at the option of setting up a committee to which Mr Kalmadi and his team would report on a regular basis,” said a senior Congress functionary.
A section in the Congress also wants the party high command to pressure Mr Kalmadi to step down as IOA president after the Games. Mr Kalmadi had been in the post for nearly 12 years. Sources disclosed that the CWG controversies also figured among political leaders and foreign diplomats who attended the dinner hosted by the Prime Minister during the recent visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron. A senior politician who attended the dinner said it was evident from their conversations that the country’s image had taken a hit following “raging controversies involving the OC president”.
Mr Kalmadi is also expected to give an explanation to the party high command on the issues. “Kalmadi has become a huge embarrassment for the party as well as the government,” a senior Congress functionary said. “The party is waiting for Mrs Gandhi. Once she returns, she will look at the situation and take a call,” the functionary maintained. He said the matter would then be discussed at the Congress core group meeting.
“Complaints have been pouring in against Mr Kalmadi at the party headquarters over “marginalising the officers appointed by the government at the OC,” the functionary disclosed. It was learnt that the OC, which has been trying to shift the blame for the delay and poor construction on agencies like the CPWD, PWD, MCD and NDMC, is, however, in charge of tenders regarding Game-related issues ranging from transportation to catering. The alleged irregularities involving the OC and a UK firm has also caused the party “embarrassment”. However, what worries the Congress the most is the political turn the issue is now threatening to take. The government is fighting on various fronts, the main being price rise. It cannot afford another scandal, that too connected to an international event like the Commonwealth Games.