New Delhi, June 9
Top Congress leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party Chief Sonia Gandhi, had a meeting here this evening amid growing demand from within the party as well as its allies for a partial reduction in the fuel price hike.
There were also suggestions that several party-ruled states could follow Maharashtra, which decided not to impose sale tax on incremental component of petrol and diesel price hike, and share the burden of the Centre in the wake of escalating global crude prices.
This was the first meeting between the Prime Minister and Gandhi after the Congress demanded a partial rollback in the hike and the government ruled out any reduction.
The meeting of the Congress Core Group was attended also by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and senior leader A.K. Antony and political secretary to the party president Ahmed Patel.
The meeting discussed the political and economic situation in the country, Congress sources said.
Party sources expect a reshuffle in the AICC secretariat in the next few days but it is unclear whether Rahul Gandhi would be entrusted with some responsibility.
Appointments of Governors is also being talked about in ruling party circles. The names of senior leaders Makhan Lal Fotedar, Shyama Charan Shukla, Prabha Rau and R.S. Gavai are doing the rounds for gubernatorial posts.
— PTI
