Pranab Da, not Rahul, saved the situation: Advani

The BJP leader said yet another ugly chapter in the unflattering history of the UPA government has ended

It was President Pranab Mukherjee and not Rahul Gandhi who saved the situation arising from the controversial ordinance, and the Congress vice president was only used for damage control by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, veteran BJP leader L.K.Advani said Friday.

In his blog titled "It's Pranab Da, not Rahul, who saved the situation," Advani has written: "With the Cabinet deciding on Wednesday to withdraw the ordinance as well as the bill pending before Parliament in respect of convicted MPs and MLAs, yet another ugly chapter in the unflattering history of the UPA government has ended."

"That most of the media reports on this development have described it as a victory for Rahul Gandhi, is a comment on how superficial the media generally has become these days."

Advani writes: "Soniaji may have thought of doing some damage control using Rahul for the purpose. It is obvious, however, that no one advised him how precisely he was to carry out this task. The objective would have been fully served if Rahul had simply said that the decision taken by the government needs to be reviewed."

Advani mentions in his blog that since the Congress ministers were called by the president, it seems they were told that he had reservation about signing the ordinance. The president returning the ordinance unsigned would have been a major setback for the government, so Rahul Gandhi was used for this purpose.

Advani writes: "Rahul's victory is really confined to rubbing off UPA's authority, and not merely the Prime Minister's. From day one, UPA has always meant Dr. Manmohan Singh and Smt. Sonia Gandhi. So, the 'nonsense' slur hurled at the Cabinet approved ordinance cannot apply only to the P.M. and his Ministers. Soniaji must also share responsibility."

The senior BJP leader has also questioned the prime minister and written, "What was there in the outburst on the ordinance which the PM could possibly discuss with his Cabinet?"

When he was asked about Rahul Gandhi's outburst over the ordinance, Manmohan Singh told media persons he would meet the Congress vice president and discuss the issue with his cabinet.