New Delhi, July 4
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh today met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, apparently to register his protest over the way his role had been portrayed by the PMO in the controversial Jet Airways-Etihad Airways deal.

Though Ajit Singh later denied that the controversial multi-crore aviation deal was the reason behind the meeting, saying that he wanted to inform the Congress president about the proposed civil aviation university at Rae Bareli, her constituency.

Sources, however, said Ajit Singh made clear his unhappiness over the recent developments, which seem to hint at his responsibility behind the deal.

A PMO statement issued on July 2 said it reviewed an agreement on flying rights because Ajit Singh had asked the PM to clear a deal that differed from the one sanctioned by an inter-ministerial group.

In other words, it meant that the Civil Aviation Minister wanted the PMO to overrule objections raised by the IMG and share responsibility of the deal with him.

Highly placed government functionaries say had the Jet-Etihad not been accorded extra seats, the Jet Airways would have suffered a fate similar to that of Kingfisher Airlines. But smelling “coal” in the Rs 2058-crore aviation deal, the Opposition BJP is already demanding a CBI inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court into it.

Left parties are also planning to target the Central Government on the basis of the agreement that allows extra bilateral seats to Jet-Etihad.

Ajit Singh, who has been ferociously canvassing for the agreement, feels the “important deal” has fallen prey to the cut-throat competition among rival companies.

“In terms of FDI, it is bigger than any other deal this year. There are so many dimensions to it. Those opposing the deal are long on politics and short on facts,” said Ajit Singh, whose RLD party contributes five MPs to the Congress-led UPA.