New Delhi: It was Pawar bashing at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Friday. Without taking his name, senior Congress leaders made veiled attack on the Agriculture Minister and NCP leader.
Vilasrao Deshmukh from Maharashta took on the state rival, saying: "Why irresponsible statements been made leading to price rice?"
Not to be outdone, Gandhi loyalist R K Dhawan asked: "Why the PM has been dragged in? There is a tradition not to involve the Prime Minister."
Senior Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi questioned the "silly statement being made".
All this while, the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi sat patiently without intervening or objecting to these veiled attacks.
And while the Prime Minister assured the party's highest body that effective steps will be made to bring inflation under control, CWC member Keshav Rao wanted the government to ensure that there will be no fuel hike.
"The PM said we will control inflation and increase productivity," senior Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi said while addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting.
Political decency apart, knives are out within the party on Sharad Pawar. Both the Congress and Pawar know that they need each other to fight over this political and economic challenge.