CCPA to decide on Guv report today

A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be held on Sunday here to take a decision on the governor’s report.
Sources in the government told  Deccan Herald that th­ough the CCPA will meet on Sunday, it is likely to make public its decision only on Monday. As the UPA government is celebrating its second anniversary on Sunday, it does not want Karnataka developments to spoil its “party”, source added.

“The party is still studying the implication on Karnataka as well national politics in the event of the government accepting the governor’s report”, source said.

PM’s promise

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday are said to have assured a State Congress delegation of a proper decision “within the framework” of the Constitution.

The State Congress delegation was led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara and Karnataka Legislative Assembly opposition leader Siddaramaiah. “Except this, both leaders did not give any hint of the Union Government’s move on governor’s report,” a senior leader, who was part of the delegation, said.

After their meeting with Sonia Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel, on Friday night just said “appropriate” decision would be taken at the earliest.

Unsure of numbers

Though a section of Congress leaders was strongly pushing for the presidential rule in Karnataka, the party is still unsure of getting the required numbers in the Rajya Sabha to get parliament’s stamp on such a move in view of it being in a minority in the Upper House.

JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda is learnt to have promised to get Left parties to support the government in the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress is a little cautious about the former prime minister’s assurances in the light of its past experiences with him, the sources said.

Interestingly, except senior Congress leader Oscar Fernades and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna (from Karnataka), the high command did not consult any of its senior leaders on this issue source said.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, National Conference supremo and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will be attending Sunday’s CCPA meeting.

However, the leaders from the DMK and Trinamool Congress will not take part. Even none of the three cabinet ministers from Karnataka — External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Law Minister Veerappa Moily and Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge  — are likely to attend as all of them were away from the city.

The CCPA, which met on Fr­iday failed to take a decision on the governor’s report due to “difference of opinions” among the ministers. It was learnt that though the Law Ministry favoured to imposition of president’s rule in the State, the  Home Ministry was against such a step.

“As Prime Minister Manmohan is leaving for his six-day African  tour on Monday morning, the Centre will have to make known its decision before his departure,” according to the source.