File photo of Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who has been attacked for helping disgraced cricket boss Lalit Modi with travel papers in Britain, has apparently divided the opposition ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament next week.
Non-Congress opposition parties have informally agreed on a "Sushma pact", which means they will not target her even as they attack the BJP government on the Lalit Modi controversy that has engulfed the foreign minister as well as Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Highly-placed political sources have confirmed to NDTV that parties like the Trinamool Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Janata Dal United and the Samajwadi Party have formed the pact over telephone calls.
"We did speak to each other about the strategy this session,'' said a former Union Minister, "We all were unanimous- Sushmaji is a decent lady, she has always conducted herself very well, and been fair. She has a rapport with each one of us and so we will neither stand nor shout slogans against her.''
The Congress says Sushma Swaraj must be sacked for helping Lalit Modi obtain British travel documents last year, at a time his passport stood cancelled by the Indian government.
But it has been clear since the controversy erupted last month that other opposition parties have been far less aggressive.
When Trinamool parliamentarian Saugato Roy criticized Ms Swaraj, his party instantly distanced itself, saying in a tweet that it was Mr Roy's "personal opinion."
Similarly, when Nationalist Congress Party MP DP Tripathi spoke against Ms Swaraj, sources say his party chief Sharad Pawar sent word that he should stay silent.
Ms Swaraj had defended her move, saying she helped Mr Modi on "humanitarian grounds", so he could be with his wife for her treatment in Portugal. Does the opposition accept that? "It is not just that," said a leader, "It is also her record. She has always been exemplary and this episode is unfortunate but we are clear that we are not for her resignation.''
This goodwill does not extend to the other leader caught in the Lalit Modi scandal; Vasundhara Raje, sources say, does not enjoy cross party support like Ms Swaraj.
Mr Modi, is wanted in cases of corruption linked to the IPL or Indian Premier League that he created.