Rahul's opinion well taken in party, govt: Cong

Rahul Gandhi's opinion is "well taken" in the party and the government, the Congress said today indicating that the Cabinet could withdraw the controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers when it met on October 2.

"The opinion of Rahul Gandhi holds value in Congress and government and it is well taken both by the party and the government. Let us wait for the government to respond," party spokesperson Sandip Dikshit told reporters.

"There are some voices after hearing which, people feel the need for reconsideration (of an an issue)...," he said.

His statement came on the eve of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's return from the US tomorrow.

Dismissing contentions that the Congress vice-president's action has rendered the Prime Minister lame-duck and insulted his position, Dikshit insisted, "Rahul Gandhi did not make any comment on the PM, he spoke on the ordinance."

He also rejected criticism of Rahul's sudden denunciation of the ordinance and asserted that "it's a judgement well-taken (to oppose the Ordinance).

He recalled that the Union Cabinet had "earlier also amended laws" responding to public outrage on incidents like the Delhi gangrape.

"Decisions are changed, when many people seek it," Dikshit added.

A party functionary, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that there were reservations of many leaders and particularly of Rahul against the bill itself and hence it was not pushed for passage during Monsoon session. He, however, failed to reply to queries as to why the ordinance was brought in such a situation.

Rahul has forced the Congress to have a relook at the ordinance after he called it a "complete nonsense" and something that should be "torn up and thrown away."

The ordinance is currently before President Pranab Mukherjee who is leaving on a foreign tour on October 2.