NEW DELHI, 13 October 2003 — The Congress-National Congress Party coalition which is ruling in Maharashtra, appears heading for trouble with the Sharad Pawar led NCP yesterday ruling out any clarification on the issue of Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin.
“We don’t have to give clarification to anyone...If Congress feels that they should not stay in the government, they have a right to that decision. Every party has a right to make these decisions”, NCP spokesman Praful Patel said.
Patel’s sharp reaction came after Maharashtra Congress party president Ranjit Deshmukh on Saturday issued an “ultimatum” giving Sharad Pawar a week to either “reconsider” his stand on Gandhi’s foreign origin or face “dire consequences”.
The statement of Deshmukh and also from AICC spokesman Jaipal Reddy criticizing Pawar had come a day after the NCP president, at an election rally here, ridiculed the Congress over its “imported” leadership.
Patel ruled out any apology from Pawar saying, “apology for what?”
He said since the Congress has issued an ultimatum to NCP it was for that party to decide what action to take.
Earlier, the MPCC chief said that if Pawar did not change his stand toward the Congress chief, a harsh decision will be taken after seven days, including snapping of relations with the NCP in the state.
He said that this stand was taken unanimously by the AICC general secretary Vyalar Ravi and other senior leaders of the MPCC. “It is time that Pawar stopped raising the issue as his party itself was formed only on Sonia’s foreign origin issue,” Deshmukh said.
When asked about the nature of action that would be taken after seven days, he firmly said: “The decision will be taken only after seven days depending on Pawar’s response.” The Congress will also decide after seven days whether they want to be a part of the Democratic Front government of which the NCP is also an important constituent.
“Pawar has no right to talk about Sonia’s origin and he has the habit of taking advantage of positions he has held. He is simply an opportunist,” he alleged. “Pawar, who is talking about Sonia’s origin again and again, was with Congress for almost one and half years after she became the AICC president,” Deshmukh said.
Deshmukh said on the one hand Pawar was attacking Sonia’s origin and on the other he wanted to take advantage of his relations with the Congress.
Rabri’s Resignation
Drama Rocks Bihar
In a sudden move, Rabri Devi offered to step down as chief minister of Bihar. She cited lackadaisical attitude of the party ministers as the reason for her discontent. She was speaking at the ongoing national convention of RJD.
Rabri said she was saddened by the apathetic attitude of the ministers and MPs from her party. Pulling up her cadre, the chief minister said the growing factionalism in the party was affecting party prospects.
Taking notice of the growing resentment among party workers, she chided the office-bearers and asked all to work in cohesion.
