2G note: PM’s return, SC verdict anxiously awaited

As the Congress continued its efforts to contain the fallout from the leaked note in which the finance ministry apparently blames P Chidambaram for not preventing the cheap sale of 2G spectrum in 2008, both Chidambaram and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee met Congress president Sonia Gandhi separately on Monday.

According to CNN-IBN, Chidambaram went so far as to offer his resignation. All parties concerned are now awaiting the return of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from New York this evening, when an official statement is expected. Till then, both Mukherjee and Chidambaram are staying tight-lipped.

Some observers are seeing the issue in the light of an internecine war between Mukherjee and Chidambaram; but the statements emanating so far hardly support such a theory. The party is fully backing Chidambaram – Singh said in the US that he had complete confidence in him, while Mukherjee called him a ''valued colleague''.

After his 45-minute meeting with Gandhi, Mukherjee merely told waiting newspersons that Chidambaram was a ''pillar of strength'' before being whisked away to his North Block office.

Chidambaram earlier met Gandhi for about 25 minutes; and according to the Hindustan Times, presented her a full chronology of the government's internal correspondence during his days as finance minister.

The Congress is also anxiously awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court on Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy plea to prosecute home minister Chidambaram, who was finance minister when the 2G 'scam' occurred. The decision will shape the Congress response to the allegations.