They mock PM, but whole party stands by him: Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: At a rally in Karnataka yesterday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her support for the Prime Minister days after a government decision was severely attacked by her son and Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi.

"They may make fun of the prime minister but I want them to know that the whole party is behind him," said Mrs Gandhi referring to the opposition BJP.

"We are doing good work under the leadership of Manmohan Singh," she said.

Dr Singh was in the US last week when Mr Gandhi launched a surprise attack on a decision cleared by the Prime Minister to introduce an ordinance that allows convicted MPs to remain in office till their appeal is decided by a higher court.

Mr Gandhi said the executive order was "nonsense." The opposition said that the Prime Minister had been grossly undermined by his party while he was abroad.

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A cabinet meeting on Wednesday is likely to officially withdraw the contentious ordinance, which was introduced to nullify a Supreme Court order in July which bars lawmakers who are convicted In criminal Cases carrying sentences of more than two years.

Sources in the government say that Mrs Gandhi was present at a meeting of top Congress leaders which cleared the ordinance.

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