AHMED PATEL IN COALGATE SCAM Sonia’s all-powerful political secretary cut to size after PM’s revelation last fortnight ....... Lakshmi Iyer Posted On Saturday, September 15, 2012 *“The time for big bang reforms has come. If we have to go down, we go down fighting.”* - Manmohan Singh while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Friday Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s new combative stance is not limited to Big Bang announcements like Foreign Direct Investment in retail and aviation. On August 31, the day he returned from the Non Aligned Summit in Tehran, Manmohan Singh met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and communicated to her that his office had cleared the coal block allotment on the recommendation of her political secretary Ahmed Patel. Sources close to the development say this has been possibly his boldest political move in this term as Prime Minister and stemmed from his frustration at the drubbing he was getting in the media and the aspersions being cast on his integrity. Ahmed Patel is one of Sonia Gandhi’s closest aides-he has been her political secretary since 2000, and she is known to rely on him greatly in the running of the Congress Party. Washing his hands of the tainted coal block allotment, (How can he wash.. theywill remain dirty till he exposes the misdeeds) Dr Singh made it clear to Sonia Gandhi that he had no role or interest in determining who the beneficiaries should be. As he laid the blame for coal allotment squarely at the Congress’ door, the PM explained that his then principal secretary TKA.Nair had merely coordinated the allotment decision as desired by Ahmed Patel. While Nair, who is now an advisor to the PM, was not available for comment, Ahmed Patel categorically denied having any say in coal block allocation. “I have not made any recommendation,” he said. Sources say the timing of this meeting-just four days after Sushma Swarajs comment about the Congress earning “mota maal” (fat sum) from coal block allotment-- was crucial. While the Prime Minister had countered Sushma in Parliament with a now not-so cryptic couplet about the virtues of silence (Hazaaron jawaabon se achchhee hai merii Khamoshii/ na jaane kitne sawaalon ki aabroo rakkhe), a livid Sonia Gandhi had lashed out at the BJP for making unsubstantiated allegations. However after her meeting with the Prime Minister Sonia Gandhi personally reached out to Sushma Swaraj to restore normal functioning of the Parliament.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 14:50:45 +0000
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