Congress ally NCP has demanded that Union Minister Shashi Tharoor should opt out of the Ministry till the time probe is over in the wake of "controversial" death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar. The Congress has been quick to reject the demand.
NCP spokesperson DP Tripathi said Tharoor should "himself disassociate" from his ministerial responsibilities till the investigations in the death of his wife Sunanda are over. The party, which is a part of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, made the demand saying this was needed according to principle of propriety as the issue is serious.
Replying to questions, Tripathi said that he was not demanding that Tharoor step down as a Minister. He also dismissed suggestions that his demand was due to compulsions of the politics of Kerala where the NCP is part of the Opposition left Democratic Front.
"We really mourn Sunanda Pushkar's death from the core of our heart. However, the matter is serious and investigations are on and Tharoor has rightly pledged that he will cooperate with investigating agencies. We think Tharoor will himself disassociate from his ministerial responsibility till the investigation is over," Tripathi said.
Reports earlier had it that BJP's Kerala unit demanded the resignation of Tharoor from the Union Ministry in the backdrop of the death of his wife. Tharoor is a Congress member of the lok Sabha from Thiruvananthapuram.
Coming out in defence of Tharoor, Congress said that he is in a responsible ministerial position and an inseparable part of Congress. "This could be personal opinion of NCP leader DP Tripathi...We are not the conscience keeper of NCP. There is no question of his resignation," party spokesperson Randip Surjewala said at the AICC briefing.
Maintaining that no personal allegations have been levelled by anyone over this unfortunate incident, the Congress spokesperson emphasised, "neither any individual, any party or organisation are insinuating vis a vis the alleged suicide or the alleged murder of Sunanda. When there is no charge and nobody is alleging any role of Tharoor, why should he resign." A magisterial inquiry into the episode has already been ordered and Tharoor himself has written to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde for expeditious inquiry into the matter.