The Congress is delaying action against Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.
The Congress leadership has passed the buck and is learned to have authorised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take a decision on the continuation of both Ministers.
Both Kumar and Bansal, Parliament members from Punjab, are considered close to the Prime Minister. A section in the Congress, which wanted smooth functioning of Parliament to pass the Food Security Bill and the Land Acquisition Bill, had suggested that the Ministers should resign to pacify the Opposition.
But now, since the Budget session has ended abruptly, there are indications that the Congress may further delay a decision on their resignation.
Meanwhile, Bansal did not attend the Cabinet meeting on Thursday fuelling speculation that he may be asked to step down, as the Central Bureau of Investigation may question him in connection with the arrest of his nephew for allegedly accepting bribe to fix a posting in the Railway Board.
The Congress, however, has downplayed his absence from the Cabinet meeting.
On Kumar, the Congress says that the Supreme Court has not given its final order on the CBI affidavit on the coal scam. The party says Ashwani Kumar cannot be asked to resign based on the observations made by the Supreme Court.
On Bansal, the party claims that the CBI investigation is underway at the insistence of Bansal and a decision cannot be taken until the agency files a chargesheet in the case.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the Centre’s attitude of protecting “corrupt” Ministers.
“Having decided to brazenly defend its two Ministers, more particularly its Law Minister, whose dropping from the Government would have made the PM’s continuance untenable, the Government adjourned Parliament sine die two days ahead of schedule on May 8 instead of May 10,” senior BJP leader L.K. Advani wrote in his blog.