No decision on Bansal at Cong core group meet

The Congress Core Group meeting at the official residence of the prime minister at 7, Race Course Road, on Saturday evening, chaired by party President Sonia Gandhi, refrained from taking a call on Railway Minister Pawn Kumar Bansal’s resignation.

With Assembly elections in Karnataka tomorrow, the core group was in no haste to take a decision on the issue. The party could not risk sacking a minister on corruption-related charges at this crucial juncture, said a Congress insider. The group will again meet in a day or two to decide on the matter. This despite the Opposition demanding the immediate sacking of the Railway Minister.

Earlier in the day when Bansal drove to the prime minister’s residence and offered to resign, it was understood that a decision would be taken at the core group meeting, and more importantly by the Congress president. At the meeting where Bansal was a special invitee today, other members who were present included Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Defence Minister A K Antony and Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmad Patel.

According to sources, no consensus could be arrived as there was a view that a Union minister’s resignation on the eve of crucial polls in Karnataka could have an adverse impact. At the same time, it would provide further fodder to an Opposition which was already at the government’s throat over a series of scams.

There was also a view that as Vijay Singla, Bansal’s nephew, was directly incharge of all his political affairs in his constituency in Chandigarh, the blame was directly at Bansal’s door and so he should resign.

However, as with most matters in the Congress, the decision either way would be mulled over at length before being pronounced.

It is significant that within a space of 10 days two Cabinet ministers, Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Bansal, considered to be close to the prime minister have been embroiled in controversies.

Meanwhile, Congress’ media incharge Janardhan Dwivedi rejected the Opposition’s demands for Bansal’s resignation saying, "For those who are demanding resignation (of Bansal), it has become a disease." Stating that Bansal himself had offered to resign, Dwivedi said, "I don't think we can expect anything more from him."