New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his deputy Shashi Tharoor left their temporary accommodation in five-star hotels after Congress President Sonia Gandhi is believed to have intervened.
Congress leaders on Wednesday said Sonia had told Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to ask the two ministers not to stay in five star hotels and move elsewhere.
The party, however, downplayed the issue of Krishna and Tharoor staying in five-star hotels saying they were not burdening the public exchequer.
Gandhi has been behind the austerity drive in the party in the wake of the drought situation in many parts of the country.
At a CWC meeting last month, Gandhi had asked party leaders to adopt austerity measures in the wake of drought.
The meeting had focussed on ways to tackle drought and price rise and the party decided that all its ministers, MPs and MLAs will donate part of their salaries to drought relief fund and take a 20 per cent cut for a year.
During the meeting, Gandhi had asked partymen and the government to observe austerity measures to reflect concern and sensitivity towards people affected by drought.