Congress all set to snap ties with Rebel Natwar

With former external affairs minister Natwar Singh unfurling a banner of revolt through his breach of privilege notice against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Congress brass have started the countdown to sever ties with the senior leader.

Although his ouster from the Congress party is imminent, the party leadership is deliberating on the timing of his exit. While the prevailing opinion is to suspend him immediately, a section of party leaders is in favour of reserving his marching orders until his statement in the Rajya Sabha over the privilege notice.

At the Cabinet meeting today, some ministers were learnt to have advised caution, suggesting that Natwar Singh should be issued a show cause notice but not expelled at this point of time to avoid any unsavoury face-off tinged with political vendetta.

"We are watching him. The party feels he should be given some time to explain his role in the oil-for-food scam in the light of his indictment in the Pathak report," said a senior party leader.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) today made attempts to defend the indicted leader by deflecting attention to the alleged involvement of Reliance Industries in the oil-for-food scandal.

CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury, who met Natwar Singh today, said in a press briefing that his party had demanded last November that the scope of the Pathak Inquiry Authority should be extended to cover non-political entities as well.

On the involvement of Reliance, the finance minister had assured the Rajya Sabha that all matters would be looked into. "What happened to that! Tell the House. We will pursue it," said Yechury.

Asked about his party's views on Natwar Singh's privilege motion against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Yechury said the leakage of the report before being tabled in Parliament "merits" privilege notice. CPI leader AB Bardhan had also supported Singh's action yesterday.

Referring to the Pathak panel's findings, Yechury said Natwar Singh was exonerated on account of corruption as he had not taken any money.

As for misuse of office, it was for the Congress, and not the government or Parliament to take action, he said. The CPI(M) favoured a time-bound report from the three agencies to which the Pathak report was forwarded for action.