The Congress is in a bind even as it is forced to do firefighting to dismiss conjectures of a divide within the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government—and that among top ministers Pranab Mukherjee and P Chidamabaram.
Even so, the Congress chose to outrightly reject the demand of the Opposition BJP and Left parties for Chidamabaram’s resignation, saying it has full confidence in the minister.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi attempted to suggest that the document which had created such a storm, was a “summarisation by a junior officer” and was not the view of Mukherjee.
However he could not explain as to how Mukherjee who is stated to have “seen” the document could have sent it to the PMO if those were not his views.
That the two frontline Congress ministers in the Cabinet do not see eye to eye has been common knowledge and was evident a year ago when his ministry complained that its offices had been bugged and adhesive had been found.
On Thursday, senior Congress leaders admit that the party and the government’s image of a united government have suffered and the party will have to do control the damage to remedy the situation.
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In fact, another senior party functionary said, “Mukherjee is a veteran leader, but it is he who should clarify. It is his ministry’s letter that has caused this mess. Its high time the top four in the government sat together and sorted it out.”
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi stated that the party does not doubt the integrity of Chidambaram.
The fact that the party has chosen to come out in open support for Chidambaram and is keen that Mukherjee clarify himself indicates -- according to insiders -- that this has the assent of the party’s all-powerful president Sonia Gandhi.
Singhvi tried to indicate that the 14-page document from the finance ministry “could not be seen in isolation”. Recounting the events since 2002-03, he said the CAG report of 2010 has also contended that the Department of Telecom was trying to keep all other ministries including the Ministry of Finance out of the spectrum allocation decision. “To conclude that the finance minister is complicit is premature.”
Law Minister Salman Khurshid said there “is no question mark whatsoever” in the conduct of Chidambaram.