The Congress has undertaken a damage control exercise following the growing perception that “all is not well” between two of its top ministers against the backdrop of the finance ministry’s note to the PMO with regard to 2G spectrum allocation.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who on Monday heard Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr P. Chidambaram separately of their version of the story, could take corrective steps only after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The party is in no mood to drop home minister P. Chidambaram under pressure from the Opposition but may not protect him if the court order goes against him. “It depends on what court says,” the Congress sources said.
They indicated the matter would be resolved shortly and the issue is unlikely to snowball into some major crisis unless there is something very adverse from the Supreme Court, which is hearing the matter.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi on Tuesday virtually rejected the Opposition’s demand of Mr Chidambaram’s resignation. “Chidambaram has committed no mistake. There is no question of his resignation.”
He added the controversy is unnecessarily being built around the note while matter is not so big.
Although a section of the party is blaming the media for creating an impression of a rift between Mr Mukherjee and Mr Chidambaram, it feels the finance ministry’s note to the PMO on the 2G spectrum is not at all an indictment on the then finance minister (Mr Chidambaram).
Meanwhile, the party on Tuesday lashed out at Janta Party chief Subramanian Swamy, saying his thinking has been destructive. Mr Alvi said: “His (Swamy’s) thinking has always been destructive.”