The resignation of former Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan accusing Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi of interference in her Ministry has not only created a storm within the already decaying Congress party but many leaders have started rallying behind their supreme leader Rahul Gandhi. Even as Finance Minister Arun Jaitely announced that there should be a review of the all environmental projects cleared by the UPA Government some of the Congress leaders have come to the rescue of Rahul Gandhi.
AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh in Bengaluru on Friday termed former Union Minister for Environment and Congress leader Jayanthi Natarajan allegations against AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi of interfering in her Ministry during UPA rule as baseless. He said, “Her charges against Rahul directing to give environment clearance for some major project were baseless.” Both Rahul and AICC president Sonia Gandhi had never indulged in such sort of influencing in any Ministry and if they were of such nature they could have become Prime Minister long back, he added.
“She may be making such charges, after remaining silent for all these years, only to reply BJP’s allegations that no file in the Union Environment Ministry is passed without paying bribe when she was the concerned Minister. It is a sort of explanation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added. Digvijay said, “If she is saying that there is no democracy in Congress, why did she stay so long in the party and now is levelling baseless charges. She should answer.”
Digvijay who is incharge of party affairs in Karnataka, arrived in Bengaluru on Friday to chair KPCC Coordination Committee meeting to explore opinions of party Ministers, MPs, MlAs and leaders on rejuvenation of the Congress after the party faced debacle in the last lok Sabha election. Rubbishing the allegations, M Veerappa Moily, who succeeded Natarajan in the Ministry, said Rahul Gandhi had never interfered in the functioning of the Ministry.
He said in Bengaluru that neither Rahul nor Sonia Gandhi had any clamour for power and that is why they remained out of Government. “Soniaji could have become the Prime Minister thrice... Rahul ji also could become the Prime Minister anytime,” he said, adding both, however, chose to remain away from Government.
Earlier on Friday, Natarajan announced her resignation from the primary membership of the Congress, stating that the grand old party was no longer the party that she had joined 30 years ago. “It is an extremely painful, heart-rending day for me, because my family has been associated with the Congress since its inception. I am a fourth-generation Congress worker and have Congress blood running in my veins. It is an extremely anguished moment that it has come to this position when I have to re-think my association with the Congress party," Natarajan told the media.
