New Delhi: After the harsh and blunt words used by Congress party vice president Rahul Gandhi on the ordinance on convicted law-makers on Friday, a major question mark hangs over the political future of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Will Singh resign or fall in line This is the question doing the rounds in the corridors of power after senior party leader went running for cover after Rahul’s no-nonsense outburst on the Ordinance. Singh’s Cabinet had twice discussed the draft of the Ordinance – one in the form of bill and the other as an Ordinance -- before pushing it to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan for an endorsement. Rahul’s comment is bound to send the Manmohan Singh government in a major credibility crisis. Analysts point out that this is one of the lowest point for Singh in his 10 years at office-- a party that is not in tune with his decision. Sources say that knowing how Singh acts, he may just fall in line and not embarrass the party by putting in his papers, especially when the party is on election mode and has the formidable task ahead in the five states going to polls in November. And then there is the 2014 general elections. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said it is to be seen if the PM has any self respect. He said this is Rahul’s belated realisation of what constitutes nonsense. It is a desperate damage control exercise, he said. Those behind this nonsense ordinance should be made accountable and if this does not happen, it would be just a grand-standing by the Congress, he added. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi too rubbed it in saying if Manmohan Singhhas any self respect, he should resign as a 'super cop’ has arrived. She said everyone can be wrong -- the government, the Cabinet -- but not the 'dynastic family.' BJP Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi questioned whether the UPA is a government or a theatrical production company. Is this a government or a theatrical production With such drama, the Congress will not be able to hide the government's failures...,-" said Naqvi. It is now to be seen what President Pranab Mukherjee will do since the Ordinance is on his table. He cannot reject it, but can send it back. The government may quietly withdraw the ordinance in the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s outburst and the mood in the nation. Rahul Gandhi’s stand is divergent to what the Manmohan Singh government had taken. Is this also a message to Singh that his time has come. Many were surprised that Rahul made the remark when the PM was abroad. The BJP claimed that it was the tough stand taken by the saffron party that put some sense into Rahul Gandhi. Many see the stand taken by Rahul Gandhi as aimed at the forthcoming elections to the Delhi Assembly. Critics also say that the whole grand entry of Rahul was stage-managed to give the party an 'image’. If the ordinance is withdrawn, the message would be that the Congress is ready to distance itself from RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav whose case on fodder scam is up for judgment this Monday. Just on Wednesday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari took on BJP leader Sushma Swaraj over the issue of the ordinance saying that constitutionality of legal enactments could be decided by courts and not by the opposition party. In a tweet addressed to the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Tiwari said that -"the constitutionality or otherwise of legal enactments are tested in constitutional courts and not in the BJP's moat.-" -"Unsolicited advice is neither appreciated nor taken seriously. These are the first principles of the legal profession. Advice of Leader of Opposition amusing, surprising,-" he had said. It is to be seen if Tiwari will tweet telling Rahul if his advice was 'unsolicited’.
