The report says, Finance Minister briefed Sonia Gandhi about the New York meeting with Prime Minister. As Chidambaram resigning Pranab needs to clarify his ministry’s role on 2G spectrum. The meeting with the Congress president lasted for about an hour.
Mukherjee reiterated that Chidambaram is a valued colleague and a pillar of strength for the party, before meeting the Congress President. In the post-meeting Mukherjee refused to make any comment. Meanwhile, Chidambaram too met the Congress President amidst speculation that he had offered to quit. When PM spoke to Home Minister over phone from Frankfurt on way to the US a week before, Home Minister reported offering to resign.
Report says that Mukherjee told the Prime Minister that the 2G note was released by the PMO and not his office. Mukherjee refused to comment on 2G after the hours-long meeting with Prime Minister. “Why should I comment on domestic issues outside India…I am not a fugitive,” he said.
Ever since the controversy broke out the Congress has been totally backing the Home Minister. While Sonia Gandhi had issued a dictum to her party colleagues to fully back Chidambaram, the Prime Minister had categorically stated on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that the Home Minister “enjoyed his confidence”.
The opposition has latched on to the issue asking for Chifambaram’s resignation. On Saturday, Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha stated that the Home Minister’s “place was in Tihar Jail”. On his part, the Prime Minister earlier had rejected the opposition’s demand for the resignation of Chidabaram over the 2G issue and made it clear that he would defend all his Cabinet colleagues.
Meanwhile, Janata Party chief Subramanium Swamy has said that he can produce documents to show that former Telecom Minister, A Raja acted on the advice of P Chidambaram.
