New Delhi:
After Sharad Pawar's party took very public offense to a remark by Rahul Gandhi, the Congress said Gandhi had been misquoted. And the day ended with Pawar's deputy, Praful Patel, declaring that there was no problem.
It was tough, however, to disguise the tension that erupted over Rahul Gandhi's remark over inflation. As Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar has been facing the heat for spiraling food prices, with the rates for onions and other vegetables hitting record highs. He met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today, a day after the Prime Minister met his senior ministers to discuss the prices that have become a daily headline.
At a meeting with students in Lucknow on Tuesday, Gandhi was asked why the government is not able to control inflation as effectively his grandmother, Indira Gandhi. The Congress General Secretary responded, "It was a single party government then (during Indira Gandhi's prime ministership)... while today it is a coalition and so has some compulsions." (Read: Rahul asked why Indira controlled prices better)
Pawar's NCP interpreted this as a veiled critique of Pawar. "Statements by the leading party should reflect humility not arrogance," said the NCP's General Secretary, DP Tripathi. At a fairly lengthy press conference, Tripati said that the NCP is "saddened" by Gandhi's remarks. "I have always admired Rahul Gandhi and wished him success in politics. But I felt sad that the important political leader of the UPA and the Congress party has made a statement which is not based on facts," Tripathi said.
He said the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has complimented Pawar for handling food and agriculture. But just in case the Congress needed more specific feedback, Tripathi added, "These are days of pluralism... Coalition rule has arrived" and stressed that it was important for the UPA to follow a "coalition course and not collision course."
The Congress responded by stating that Gandhi had not singled out any coalition partner in his comment. That seemed to resonate with NCP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel. "I don't think Rahul Gandhi's statement should be read in the context of current coalition as he was replying to a general question asked to him by students. He has not criticised any party in particular," Patel said.
BJP ATTACKS RAHUL OVER COALITION REMARK
While the Congress and NCP may have exchanged an olive branch, the BJP was less forgiving.
"Even Vajpayee headed a coalition, but prices were very much under control. Coalition compulsion may affect your ideological position but cannot affect measures to bring down prices," said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.
It was tough, however, to disguise the tension that erupted over Rahul Gandhi's remark over inflation. As Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar has been facing the heat for spiraling food prices, with the rates for onions and other vegetables hitting record highs. He met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today, a day after the Prime Minister met his senior ministers to discuss the prices that have become a daily headline.
At a meeting with students in Lucknow on Tuesday, Gandhi was asked why the government is not able to control inflation as effectively his grandmother, Indira Gandhi. The Congress General Secretary responded, "It was a single party government then (during Indira Gandhi's prime ministership)... while today it is a coalition and so has some compulsions." (Read: Rahul asked why Indira controlled prices better)
Pawar's NCP interpreted this as a veiled critique of Pawar. "Statements by the leading party should reflect humility not arrogance," said the NCP's General Secretary, DP Tripathi. At a fairly lengthy press conference, Tripati said that the NCP is "saddened" by Gandhi's remarks. "I have always admired Rahul Gandhi and wished him success in politics. But I felt sad that the important political leader of the UPA and the Congress party has made a statement which is not based on facts," Tripathi said.
He said the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has complimented Pawar for handling food and agriculture. But just in case the Congress needed more specific feedback, Tripathi added, "These are days of pluralism... Coalition rule has arrived" and stressed that it was important for the UPA to follow a "coalition course and not collision course."
The Congress responded by stating that Gandhi had not singled out any coalition partner in his comment. That seemed to resonate with NCP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel. "I don't think Rahul Gandhi's statement should be read in the context of current coalition as he was replying to a general question asked to him by students. He has not criticised any party in particular," Patel said.
BJP ATTACKS RAHUL OVER COALITION REMARK
While the Congress and NCP may have exchanged an olive branch, the BJP was less forgiving.
"Even Vajpayee headed a coalition, but prices were very much under control. Coalition compulsion may affect your ideological position but cannot affect measures to bring down prices," said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.
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