those of others. The move, however, backfired, as there seemed to be no takers for organisational responsibilities.
Given the tepid response, the ministers, who it was claimed, had offered to resign, too, did not know how to react. Most of
them went into denial mode and claimed they had written no letter to Sonia Gandhi making such an offer. The first denial emanated from Jairam, who denied writing any letter to Sonia in the past few days or weeks.
Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi followed suit with an assertion that ‘I have never written any letter.’He also asked reporters to show any such letter. Yes, he had offered to work for the party a year ago, but he was shocked to learn about the resignation offer. ‘I met Congress President and discussed the Andhra Pradesh by- elections but never wrote any letter.alt39alt39Law Minister Salman Khurshid was quite livid at his name cropping up in the reports but chose to wriggle out saying someone was mixing facts with fiction to read out of context ‘letters and notes we kept sending to the party leadership.’He wondered if someone has got hold of a letter he wrote to Gandhi soon after the Uttar Pradesh results, offering to take moral responsibility for the failure to deliver. Then he had also offered to resign as a minister, especially when a section of the party demanded that he be sacked for the debacle. Sources close to him said he too was happy to continue as the law and minority affairs minister.
Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also denied writing any such letter, pointing out that he can not say if someone had dug out a letter written by him to the Congress President a year ago, asking her to relieve him of the dual responsibility as a minister and general secretary.
Initially names of four ministers were dropped; the name of V Narayanasamy was later added to the list. He, too, said he has never sought any particular position but accepted whatever work was assigned to him. He saw in the reports a conspiracy to dislodge him from his position in the PMO. Party spokespersons, too, denied knowledge of any such revamp exercise; nor could they fathom why this talk of reshuffle in the Congress and the Union Cabinet had surfaced on the opening day of the Parliament session. Changes, if any, could take place only after the session ends on May 22, they pointed out.
Panic, intrigue and mischief played itself out in the political discourse in the Congress circles even as the government, the party and the ministers concerned denied there was any offer to resign.
Congress sources said there are many ministers who keep writing to Sonia Gandhi expressing desire to work for the party, but this was a ritual to reaffirm faith in her leadership and nothing more should be read into it.
The governments reaction came from Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni. Giving an insight into the Congress leadersalt39minds, she said anyone would feel proud if Sonia Gandhi reposes faith in him for a particular job. ‘We will not take even a minute in resigning from the Cabinet to take up party work, if Soniaji wants,’she said, letting out the secret: ‘I have also told her that I prefer to work for the party than the Government.’On the newsbreak of the day, she said she was not aware of any ministersalt39offer to resign. But she could say that changes in organisation and the government are an ongoing process. It is the Congress president and the PM who would be taking such decisions keeping in mind the organisational and government needs.
