Home | Epaper | Indiatimes | My Mail | Make PM your Home Page | Subscribe to New sLetter | RSS

Quick News:
Advertisement / Advertise with Us

Racing club in new turf war

Today: Sat, Sept 15, 2012

Search

Follow us on

NewsPune TalkingEntertainmentLifestyleChaitimeColumnistsTravelWeekend Pick All Mirrors: Pune Mumbai Bangalore Ahmedabad You are here - Home News Latest Story
Advertisement / Advertise with Us

Latest
What Manmohan told Sonia in crucial August 31 meeting

Coal-tainted PM says it wasnt me, names Patel

Sonias all-powerful political secy Ahmed Patel cut to size after PMs revelation last fortnight
Lakshm i Iyer
Posted On Satu rday , Septem ber 15, 2012 at 08:52:36 A M

The time for big bang reforms has come. If we have to go down, we go down fighting. - Manmohan Singh while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Friday Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs new combative stance is not limited to Big Bang announcements like Foreign Direct Investment in retail and aviation. On August 31, the day he returned from the Non Aligned Summit in Tehran, Manmohan Singh met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and communicated to her that his office had cleared the coal block allotment on the recommendation of her political secretary Ahmed Patel.

More
Page 1 of 34 Here is how Sassoon makes optimum use of medical utilities
Fri day , Septem ber 14, 2012, 12:46:37 PM

If we want to see clearly the mirror should be huge

Th u rsday , Septem ber 13, 2012, 08:17:12 A M

Lost in recruitment
Wedn esday , Septem ber 12, 2012, 08:31:17 A M

The small god thing

Tu esday , Septem ber 11, 2012, 02:20:39 PM

Item ringtone days could be numbered

Mon day , Septem ber 10, 2012, 06:16:54 PM
Changing equations: Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and A hmed Patel

Page 1 of 34

Sources close to the development say this has been possibly his boldest political move in this term as Prime Minister and stemmed from his frustration at the drubbing he was getting in the media and Most Read Articles the aspersions being cast Naren says i don't support...more on his integrity. BangaloreMirror.com - Pioneer of IVF dies : sunil says IndianKumara wht u said is totally wrong and u not...more BangaloreMirror.com - KSPCB raid yield Ahmed Patel is one of Sonia Gandhis closest aides he has been her political secretary since 2000, and she is known to rely on him greatly in the running of the Congress Party. Washing his hands of the tainted coal block allotment, Dr Singh made it clear to Sonia Gandhi that he had no role or interest in determining who the beneficiaries should be. As he laid the blame for coal allotment squarely at the Congress door, the PM explained that his then principal secretary T K A Nair had merely coordinated the allotment decision as desired by Ahmed Patel. While Nair, who is now an advisor to the PM, was not available for comment, Ahmed Patel categorically denied having any say in coal block allocation. I have not made any recommendation, he said. Sources say the timing of this meeting-just four days after Sushma Swaraj's comment about the Congress earning mota maal (fat sum) from coal block allotment was crucial. While the Prime Minister had countered Sushma in Parliament with a now not-so cryptic couplet about the virtues of silence (Hazaaron jawaabon se achchhee hai merii Khamoshii/ na jaane kitne sawaalon ki aabroo rakkhe), a livid Sonia Gandhi had lashed out at the BJP for making unsubstantiated allegations. However after her meeting with the Prime Minister Sonia Gandhi personally reached out to Sushma Swaraj to restore normal functioning of the Parliament. But the biggest fallout of the meeting was Mrs Gandhis quick response to the Prime Minister's revelations. In a move, bound to reassure him, she conveyed to Ahmed Patel that she was not Ask the Sexpert - Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Geetika subjected to unnatural sex Ask the Sexpert - Thursday, August 23, 2012 Ask the Sexpert - Wednesday, August 22, 2012 Ask the Sexpert - Friday, August 24, 2012 Ask the Sexpert - Saturday, August 25, 2012

Most Read Sections

Ask the Sexpert City Bollywood Ask the Sexpert Latest City

Most Searched Tags

USA jobs software BMCC Zensar cop saina cancer awareness family planning University water Pimpri-Chinchwad minister MCA Movies

punemirror.in/article/62//Coaltainted-PM-says-it-wasnt-me-names-Patel.html

1/3

revelations. In a move, bound to reassure him, she conveyed to Ahmed Patel that she was not happy with his role in the coal block allotments. This was done while she was abroad for her medical check-up last fortnight. In another clear signal of his fall from grace, the Congress chief held a strategy meeting with Rahul Gandhi and old party warhorses like ML Fotedar, RK Dhawan and Suman Dubey while keeping out her political secretary, something almost unthinkable until recently. There is every possibility Ahmed Patel may return to his old job as treasurer of the Party while the task of devising political strategy may be taken up by a select panel of people or even that a senior leader like Digvijay Singh might get chosen to step into Patels shoes, said a senior party functionary on the condition that this newspaper not name him. Used to a quiescent Prime Minister, Dr Singhs plain speak on the powerful political secretary has shocked many and will no doubt change the power equations within the party. What surprised Congressmen most is the fact that the Prime Minister chose to bring up for discussion what has been an open and prickly party secret.

Garden

Mirror

bank India Amravati department Maker Carla Marathi laptops garbage Ganesh Tournament football school wadia Public sperm tehsildar Mumbai Rida Kevin local name Pictures Hinjewadi company IT Dogs Rohit caste gangrape citizen Hritik Salman illegal BPO first report Australian minor coach film website City college sting Child husband workshop DCP workers security development Badminton Gawli Satara Katraj admission Society Fergusson Gandhi accident fatal crime tennis tech Banned tax ingredients Students job Nigdi Chinchwad Pimpri Paud Mamata Kids dead

Police

Pune

Recovery Talent

What was the PM referring to? Sources said the PM was referring to nearly half of the allotment of 142 coal blocks between July 2004 and 2011 that have been pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor general as faulty. Out of the One hundred and forty two, 75 coal blocks were allotted to private parties and 67 to government-owned public sector undertakings. Out of the 75 allotted to private parties, 57 recipients were allotted blocks with open cast or mixed mines, of which 56 were not mined at all. Sources pointed out that the CAG itself has recorded that initially the PMO in its meetings and communications with Coal Ministry July 25, 2005 and August 9, 2005 had pressed for operationalizing competitive bidding as that would enable the Government to tap windfall profit accruing to companies that were allocated captive coal blocks. However instead of ushering in competitive bidding through an executive order in July 2006, it dragged its feet for six years under political pressure to notify changes in law. "Denial by PMO on Pune Mirror newspaper report": The attention of the Prime Minister's Office has been drawn to a news story published in Pune Mirror today, 15th September, 2012. The allegation that the Prime Minister talked to the UPA Chairperson and communicated to her that his office had cleared the coal block allotment on the recommendation of her political secretary is completely untrue. This is a scurrilous, irresponsible and mischievous report. It is hoped that other newspapers or media outlets do not reproduce or repeat the baseless story.

Recommend

1 person recommends this. Be the first of your friends.

tweets

Mail this article Share Share

Print this article Share Share

Translate this article

R ate m e ....

retw eet

Contribute/ Share your Opinion

*Name: *Email address: *Comments:

*Security Question : 1+1 equals

Submit
Fields m arked * are com pulsory
Terms & Con di t i on s

Site Map: Latest Nation Environment Bollyw ood City World Event Scoop Mumbai Sports Hollyw ood Variety

Other Tim es Group Sites: ePaper Mumbai Mirror Ahmedabad Mirror Bangalore Mirror Times Wellness ItsMyAscent Education Times M-Paper About Us Contact us Advertise w ith us Terms of use

punemirror.in/article/62//Coaltainted-PM-says-it-wasnt-me-names-Patel.html

2/3