Kamat could reconsider decision to quit Congress

Amid ongoing efforts by the Congress high command to convince five-time Mumbai MP Gurudas Kamat to withdraw his resignation, party sources on Friday said they are hopeful of persuading the former union minister to reconsider his decision.

Kamat, who was in the capital, had meetings with senior Congress leaders A.K. Antony and Ahmed Patel at the latter's residence in New Delhi on Thursday.

"We are hopeful that he'll be back," a party source told IANS, without going into the details.

However, there was no clarity as to what position would be offered to Kamat if he withdraws his resignation.

Kamat had announced he was quitting the party and the political arena on June 6.

"I met Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) about 10 days ago and expressed a desire to resign. For several months now, I have felt I need to take a backseat to enable others to get the opportunity," Kamat had said in a statement.

On Thursday, Kamat had dismissed speculation that he had reservations to the nomination of P. Chidambaram to the Rajya Sabha or of Narayan Rane's nomination for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections.

"Chidambaram is a very senior and respected leader of the Congress Party and I hold him in very high esteem," Kamat had said in a statement.

Kamat further clarified that there were no differences between him and Narayan Rane.

--IANS

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