New Delhi, August 10
After launching a personal tirade against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a mellow and friendless Natwar Singh today sought an appointment with him and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in a belated attempt to mend fences with them.
The suspended Congress leader, who was issued a show-cause notice by the Congress yesterday, had come prepared to make a personal statement in the Upper House regarding the Pathak Authority’s findings and even submitted a draft to the Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s approval in which he maintained he was being victimised for his disapproval of India’s vote against Iran.
However, he did not stay long in the House. He left even before the chairman rejected the breach of privilege notice against the Prime Minister.
There was no response to the suspended Congress leader’s friendly overtures and indications were that neither Dr Singh nor Ms Gandhi were in any hurry to grant him an audience. UPA managers are firm that Mr Natwar Singh should tender a public apology to the Prime Minister since his critical remarks about him were also made in public.
The Congress President was on tour to flood-hit Gujarat when she was informed about his request for an appointment. Dr Singh was in his Parliament office when he got the message. In fact, the two leaders came face to face in the Rajya Sabha earlier in the morning when they exchanged salutations.
The party leadership’s next move will depend on whether Mr Natwar Singh goes ahead with his decision to make a personal statement and his reply to the notice. “If he expresses regret, then the situation can change,” remarked a senior UPA minister.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachouri, who interacted with him today, are learnt to have dissuaded him from continuing his public tirade against the Congress leadership. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who has a good rapport with Mr Natwar Singh, is also learnt to have spoken to him.
Mr Natwar Singh’s changed demeanour was also being attributed to the fact that his new friends —the Samajwadi Party, BJP and the Left parties—distanced themselves from him. SP leader Amar Singh is learnt to have told him in the presence of Congress ministers that he had never instigated Mr Natwar Singh to attack the Prime Minister.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury advised him that he should refrain from making a statement against the Congress leadership if he intended to stay in the party, adding that this was his last chance for a rapprochement.
