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Antony panel divided on Sonia's foreign origin

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

A few dissenting members of the committee led by A K Antony to introspect on the reasons for the Congress party's electoral debacle have insisted that Sonia Gandhi's "foreign origin" should be included in its report as one of the major reasons, top party sources said today.

"These dissenting members said they were unwilling to sign the report unless Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin was mentioned as one of the primary reasons for the party's shocking electoral performance," the sources said, on condition of anonymity.

They said committee convenor Mani Shankar Aiyar and a couple of others persuaded the dissenters to sign the report just before it was submitted to Gandhi this evening.

Another AICC source said that in the face of the party's dismal electoral performance, the committee headed by Antony just could not ignore the "palpable feeling among the electorate" that the party chief's birth in Italy had a lot to do with it.

The source said that despite Aiyar's contention that the committee had attempted to be as honest and thorough as possible, there was a pronounced difference of opinion among the members on the "ticklish issue of Sonia's origins".

Aiyar told reporters in New Delhi that the committee members had no objection to Sonia's leadership. "Her leadership is our trump card and we are not willing to let it go out of our hands," he pointed out.

But he said the committee's recommendations would be secret because the party chief would go through them and decide what was to be done. "I cannot talk to you about the committee's recommendations because secrecy is absolutely essential for our strategy," he said. But he added that "candour and frankness" were the hallmark of the committee's proceedings.

Aiyar contended that the committee was "absolutely unrestricted in its functioning" and the report was drafted by him in the "PA's room in 10, Janpath" and that barring the committee members nobody else had had any access to the "in-camera proceedings".

The report, which runs into nearly 1,200 pages, including statistical data, is divided into four sections: national review, assessment and recommendations, state reviews covering each state separately in alphabetical order followed by the Union territories, and a tabulation of about 1,200 written responses to the panel's standard questionnaire. This last section also incorporates miscellaneous views on proposals contained in around 1,000 written submissions presented to the committee.

Party spokesman Ajit Jogi was caught in a tricky situation when reporters cornered him on the question of divergence of opinion among members of the Congress Party in Parliament on the question of the Insurance Regulatory Authority Bill. Vayalar Ravi, for instance, wants the bill to be forwarded to a select committee of the house.

Jogi replied that there were approximately 60 new members in the CPP who were yet to be oriented to its stand. But he was stumped when the reporters pointed out that even the new members had to abide by the Congress manifesto, which favoured the IRA bill and other proposed economic reforms.

EARLIER REPORT:
Antony panel finalises report on Congress debacle

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