Cong ready to relook at some coal allotments: Sources

New Delhi: The Congress sources on Friday said that the Government is likely to give a relook into some coal blocks' allotments. It could also offer to let a judicial probe be conducted into the alleged coal scam. An indication to this effect was made after the Congress Core Group met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party president Sonia Gandhi to discuss their strategy to break the deadlock in Parliament over the coal block allocation issue. The party has, however, not softened its stand against the CAG report on the coal blocks allocation.

It was also indicated in the meeting that Sonia Gandhi will have an interaction with constituents of the ruling alliance and outside supporters. The Opposition has been stalling Parliament over the CAG report demanding scrapping of coal blocks. The Government has, however, rejected the demand for cancellation of coal blocks and has trashed the BJP demand for resignation of the Prime Minister.

Coal Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal was also called for the Congress Core Committee meeting and so were Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who is also the leader of Lok Sabha, was present during the deliberations.

The meeting took place hours after Gandhi held a meeting with senior leaders, including Ahmed Patel, Pawan Kumar Bansal and Shinde as Parliament proceedings were paralysed for the eighth day. The Monsoon Session of Parliament will conclude on September 8.

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulyam Singh Yadav, whose party is a key outside supporter, has demanded an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the coal block allocation.

On Thursday, Law Minister Salman Khurshid had steered clear of Mulayam's demand saying that any reponse on the issue could come only from the Congress president.

Yadav on Friday joined hands with the Left parties and TDP to demand the judicial probe and cancellation of licenses failng which they threatened to launch a countrywide agitation. They demanded that the Parliament should be allowed to function and to put an end to the "match-fixing" of the Congress and the BJP to disrupt it.

The Government and the Congress have also been critical of the CAG reports on the coal block allocation issue and the Prime Minister has said the conclusions drawn by it were disputable.

(With additional information from PTI)