Praful denies resignation, NCP stays with
UPA
Friday July 20, 2012 03:17:17 PM, IANS
|
|
|
Related Articles |
Unhappy Pawar, Patel offer to quit
The ruling
Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Thursday was
embroiled in fresh ally trouble with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and
his lieutenant Praful Patel handing over their resignations from
the government over the way the Congress has "denigrated and
humiliated the
»
|
New Delhi: The NCP was unhappy with the way the
government was run but there was no question of quitting the
cabinet, Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel said Friday,
dismissing speculation that he and Agriculture Minister and party
chief Sharad Pawar had quit.
"Till such time we have not formally resigned, there is no
question (of resigning)… (The) issue is not about resignation at
all," Patel said after a nearly two-hour meeting of Nationalist
Congress Party leaders here.
He was speaking to reporters after NCP leaders, including Tariq
Anwar and D.P. Tripathy, met following Pawar's 30 minute meeting
with Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence.
It appears the Congress chief may have succeeded in mollifying the
NCP as the rift with the Congress has implications for the ruling
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in which Pawar's party has nine
Lok Sabha members.
The signs of trouble were apparent when Pawar and Patel boycotted
the cabinet meeting Thursday evening chaired by the prime
minister.
The two leaders were rumoured to have offered to resign from the
cabinet apparently over the NCP chief not being given No.2
position in the government.
But Patel denied this. He said they had some issues with the way
the government was functioning but the "NCP continues to be the
part of the UPA".
"We are unhappy with some aspects on the functioning of the
government which have been raised with Prime Minister (Manmohan
Singh) and (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi."
He didn't elaborate but said raising the issue of No.2 slot was
"absurd".
This, Patel said, was being raised and "wrongly" fed to the media
by "some sections of the Congress" in the name of "sources".
"These kinds of absolutely unreasonable and unnecessary comments
are being made undesirably by some sections in the Congress,"
Patel said.
Patel said the NCP wanted the government to gear up for the next
general election in 2014.
"The NCP has been one of the most responsible allies of the
government for the last eight years and has been one of the
pillars of strength. We feel the UPA is entering its last two
years before the next general elections.
"The government must also be more decisive and more committed to
the issues which are before the people."
He said Pawar had sent a letter to the prime minister raising
issues related to the coalition. "Unfortunately there has been
some speculation over the communication."
The NCP is meeting again Monday.
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |

Advantage Pranab as lawmakers vote to elect
new president
Indian
lawmakers Thursday voted to elect a new president in what is a
direct contest between ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
candidate Pranab Mukherjee
»
The mathematics of India's presidential poll
Race for Raisina Hill on, Pranab, Sangma
file nominations
|
|
Most Read |

Russia, China veto UN draft resolution on Syria third time
Russia and China Thursday vetoed a Western-backed UN
resolution on Syria over fears that it could lead to foreign
military intervention in the violence-wracked Middle East country.
"We offered
»
|
Kashmir rights panel slams staged shootouts
The Jammu
and Kashmir Human Rights Commission (JKHRC) Thursday said "killing
for sport" by security personnel who expect undue promotions and
rewards for such illegal operations should be stopped. "There must
be some check and balance which will deter such type of security
personnel » |
|
News Pick |
Halal India launches online restaurant guide
India, with a population of over 170 million
Muslims, gets its first online restaurant guide. In an event
encouraged with the presence of Chennai
» |
Traces of historical mosque found near Jama
Masjid, visitors pour in
Cameras clicked, namaz was offered and there was palpable
excitement among the hundreds gathered Thursday at Subhash Park
near Jama Masjid - the spot where ruins of
» |
Pakistani boy of 8 clears Microsoft specialist exams
An
eight-year-old Pakistani boy has cleared exams undertaken for
becoming a Microsoft Certified Technology specialist.
Shafay Thobani mastered complex internet protocol and domain name
systems to become » |

Muslims
do not have a single leader with pan-India appeal: Rahul
Blaming once again the Muslim community for what seems
to be the failure of the successive Congress governments at the
centre and states, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said
after
»
|
|
Picture of the Day |
 |
Mohd. Hamid Ansari filing the nomination papers for the Vice
Presidential Election, in the presence of the Prime Minister,
Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Chairperson, National Advisory
Council, Mrs.Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries, at
Parliament, in New Delhi on July 18, 2012. |
|
|
|
|