New Delhi, Oct 13: Giving clear signals that the row with NCP over Sharad Pawar's statement on Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin may be over, the Congress today dubbed the reported ultimatum of Maharashtra PCC President Ranjit Deshmukh to Pawar as "an expression of anger and strong resentment" over his remarks. "It was an expression of anger and strong resentment" as Congress workers in Maharashtra and all over the country strongly felt about "uncalled for" remark by Pawar, party General Secretary and incharge of Maharashtra affairs Vylar Ravi told reporters when asked about the crisis in Maharashtra triggered by Pawar's remark at a rally in New Delhi. "There is no question of changing Deshmukh. This question does not arise," he said. Earlier in the day, Deshmukh made a climbdown saying he had never given any ultimatum to Pawar nor talked of snapping ties with the NCP in the state. Asked whether the crisis was over, Ravi said "it depends upon how NCP reacts."
He, however, emphasised that all parties in a coalition should speak with restraint and should not talk "beyond a point and should not cross the lakshman rekha."
At the daily briefing, party spokesman Anand Sharma echoed similar views that the reaction of the Maharashtra leaders was the result of their "anger and unhappiness".
Bureau Report