NCP hits out at Congress over ordinance episode

MUMBAI: Taking a dig at Congress over the sequence of events leading to scrapping of the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today suggested that the party might include Rahul Gandhi in its core group to avoid such embarrassment in the future.

"The sanctity of Constitutional posts needs to be maintained... We feel that due thought should be given before taking a decision and once a decision is taken (by the Cabinet) one should be firm on it," state NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said today.

"I have nothing to comment on what Congress leaders are saying. I feel Congress should include Rahul Gandhi in the core committee, which also includes ministers, so that such a development is averted in future," Malik said.

Cabinet has the right to rescind any of its decisions, he said, but expressed displeasure over the "sequence of events" leading to the withdrawal of the controversial ordinance.

He also referred to Rahul's barging into the press conference of Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken, who at that point was defending the ordinance.