If I was in PM's place, I would have resigned: Parkash Singh Badal

JALANDHAR: Taking a dig at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said had he been at his place, he would have preferred to quit than face embarrassment.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised by Sri Ram Navami Utsav Committee here, he said if he was faced with a situation in which any of his party office bearers had belittled him on a decision taken by his cabinet, he would have preferred stepping down, than face humiliation.

Badal said he was concerned about the Cabinet's authority being eroded and that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were privy to the passage of the ordinance in the Cabinet twice and could not feign their ignorance.

By using derogatory language against the ordinance, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has expressed lack of confidence in the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet, he said, adding it was a blatant insult on the office of the Prime Minister.

Though the managers of Rahul Gandhi might have tried to enhance his image by indulging in such cheap tactics, yet this step has dealt a severe blow to both the Cabinet and Prime Minister, he said.