Congress dismisses call to sack Patil

The Congress dismissed the BJP’s renewed demand for Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s resignation after the Mehrauli blast, reports Saroj Nagi.

The Congress dismissed the BJP’s renewed demand for Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s resignation after the Mehrauli blast.

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It sought to defuse the onslaught by asking how many times L.K. Advani had offered to quit as home minister during the NDA regime when the Parliament and the Akshardham and Raghunath temples were attacked.

“Instead of oneupmanship, the political establishment must be seen as standing together … But the main Opposition is trying to score brownie points,’’ said spokesman Manish Tiwari.

However, several Congressmen are worried about the blast’s political implications on the party’s prospects in the year-end polls, particularly in Delhi. Elections are also scheduled in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

“We have not been able to send out a strong message that we are in command of the situation in fighting terror….The home minister does not appear to inspire that confidence…He should have been changed long ago,’’ said one leader.