Cong core group holds meet on Baloch row

New Delhi: With the controversial Indo-Pak joint statement stirring a hornet's nest, a meeting of the Congress top brass was held on Friday night at a time when the party has given ample hints of distancing from the stand of the government.

The over two-hour long meeting of the Congress Core Group attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi came in the backdrop of the unease in the party over the joint statement.

There was no official word about the deliberations at the crucial meeting which began at 2000 hrs at the Prime Minister's residence.

A senior leader who did not want to be named said the meeting was "routine" but did not specify what issues were discussed.

Several Congress leaders, including some senior ministers, appear to be having serious reservations over the formulation of the joint statement, especially de-linking action on terror with the composite dialogue and the reference to Balochistan.

As there has been an unease in the party, the refrain of spokespersons so far has been to either remain silent on the merits of the statement or directing the queries by remarks like "ask the government".

A discussion on the joint statement is scheduled in the Lok Sabha next week where Singh is expected to intervene and make the position of the government clear.

Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon in a tacit admission said the joint statement could be a case of bad drafting.

Besides Singh and Gandhi, the meeting was attended by Defence Minister A K Antony, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram and political secretary to Gandhi, Ahmed Patel.

The Opposition BJP has been scathing in its attack on the government for the 'complete turnaround' in its foreign policy vis-a-vis Pakistan and has been asking the Congress-led coalition as to what had prompted it to bring the change.

Pakistan has been quick to attack India in the wake of the reference to Balochistan, accusing New Delhi of interfering in its internal affairs.

The joint statement was reached after a meeting of Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will be addressing party MPs at a general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party(CPP) on July 30 during when she is expected to address the concerns of the members.

With the Assembly elections for Maharashtra due to be held by October, the Core Group is understood to have deliberated on the issue as well along with that of advancing the Haryana assembly elections.

Elections in Haryana is scheduled by February next year but is expected to be held along with that of Maharashtra.

The meeting also came in the backdrop of the Congress being on a collision course with BSP in Uttar Pradesh in the wake of the Rita Bahuguna Joshi controversy.