'Compromises made, but not quitting halfway'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today ruled out quitting “half way” because there was “a lot of unfinished business”, but admitted to, a governance deficit.

While assuring his government was “dead serious to bring to book any wrongdoers regardless of their position”, the prime minister gave the Opposition ammunition by repeatedly lamenting over “coalition compromises”.

While the Congress gave the PM a 10 out of 10 on his press meet, the opposition parties termed the entire exercise as a “cover up” for the alleged scams.

Soon after the PM’s interaction with editors of electronic media, BJP President Nitin Gadkari said he was disappointed by the PM’s answers — adding by following coalition dharma the government cannot hide wrongdoing.

The PM admitted the government had to make political compromises to run the coalition. “Things are not entirely the way I would like them to be.”

He hoped the ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu (DMK and Congress) wins the upcoming assembly election, but did not mince words to air his displeasure over the choice of DMK nominees in his Cabinet. “We are a coalition government. (Here) you can suggest your preferences but you have to finally go by what the leader of the coalition partner insists.”

This “helplessness” of the PM was cashed on by the BJP. “The PM has talked about being in a coalition government but it cannot mean support for the corrupt,” said Gadkari.

During the press meet, the PM had alleged the BJP was not cooperating on important reforms agenda like the Goods and Services Tax because of an ongoing CBI inquiry on a former Gujarat minister. According to sources, it was a covert reference to former minister of state of Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, Amit Shah, who has been charged with murder in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case.

The PM said it would not be in the interest of anyone. He added with a smile: “I’m not as guilty as I am being portrayed!”