Cabinet to review controversial ordinance Oct 2

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened a meeting of his cabinet Wednesday to review the controversial ordinance trashed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said informed sources Tuesday.

The meeting will be held at the official residence of the prime minister here Wednesday.

Before that a meeting of the Congress core group, which includes party chief Sonia Gandhi and the prime minister, is also expected, said the sources.

The prime minister, who is returning from the US, is expected to arrive in New Delhi Tuesday night.

The cabinet meeting comes in the backdrop of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's public outburst against the ordinance, which aims to save convicted lawmakers from disqualification.

The ordinance is currently with President Pranab Mukherjee after the cabinet cleared it Sep 24.

Before that it had been cleared by the Congress core group.

Though reversing its own decision and withdrawing the ordinance would not be an easy decision for the cabinet, party sources said there was not much option left before the government.

While it may not be difficult for the prime minister and the Congress ministers to toe the line given by Rahul Gandhi, convincing the allies may take some effort, said the sources.

Congress allies NCP and NC have asked for a UPA meet before the cabinet takes a call on the fate of the ordinance Wednesday and Congress sources said if the ordinance is withdrawn, it will send a positive message of clean politics on a day which will be celebrated as the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.