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October 2
Early morning: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi arrive at Raj Ghat. Gandhi leaves before the PM. Virtually no interaction
9.45 am: Rahul Gandhi meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at 7, RCR. Meeting lasts for 30 mins. Rahul Gandhi had sought a meeting with the PM to explain his stand on the Ordinance which he had publicly trashed as “nonsense.” Sources close to Gandhi say he said sorry. No independent confirmation from PMO, though Congress sources say the PM was "satisfied' about Gandhi's 'explanation'.
10.45 am: Congress Core Group headed by Sonia Gandhi meets on the controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers and decides to withdraw Ordinance. AK Anthony and P Chidambaram were not present. It was the core group on Sept 21 that had cleared the ordinance.
1 pm: PM Manmohan Singh calls on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the backdrop of the controversy over the ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers. The President had expressed reservations to sign the Ordinance and even summoned three Cabinet ministers on it. PM informs that the government would be withdrawing the Ordinance. President subsequently leaves for scheduled trip abroad.
6 pm: The Cabinet chaired by PM Manmohan Singh meets for 20 minutes and "unanimously" decides to withdraw not only the controversial Ordinance but the bill pending before Parliament as well. The amendment to the Representation of Peoples Act is aimed at overturning a Supreme Court ruling that bars convicted 'netas' from continuing in office. Government slated to move motion in Parliament to withdraw the bill which is before a standing committee.
UPA allies speak
NCP: Chief spokesperson DP Tripathi: “The NCP will abide by the final decision taken by the Union Cabinet headed by the PM Manohan Singh.” Adding, “Rahul Gandhi as Congress Vice President can take a decision for the Congress party but the UPA government is not a Congress government it is a coalition government headed by PM Manmohan Singh. Rahul Gandhi will appreciate that we are his allies not his followers.”
National Conference: Former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah said that the “ordinance drama was unfortunate”. Adding, “Rahul should have waited for the PM to come. He has been wrongly advised. I hope in future there will be better advisors for Rahul.”
Samajwadi Party: Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Agrawal said, “Samajwadi Party requests the Prime Minister that he should remain firm on the ordinance that the government has brought. It should remain firm on it as it was brought after due consideration. This message should not go in the country that it was withdrawn under the pressure of one individual.”
