Cong asks Tytler

Cong asks Tytler to take conscience call on candidature



New Delhi, Apr 09: With pressure mounting on the Congress for a rethink on the candidature of Jagdish Tytler for the LS polls, reports claimed on Thursday that the party has put the onus on Tytler, asking him to follow his conscience on the issue.

As per media reports, the Congress party has made up its mind that Tytler should withdraw his candidature but the line of thinking in the party is that Tytler should himself announce the withdrawal of his candidature and take a moral high ground on the issue.

The high command’s decision, as per reports, has been conveyed to Tyler in no uncertain terms. But as of now Tytler, whose name figured in connection with 1984 anti-Sikh riots, is continuing to defend himself.

Speaking to the media today, Tytler said that everybody should wait for the court to give its judgement and not jump to conclusions.

“I will comment only after the court delivers its verdict,” Tytler said.

He also dismissed the claims that he has been given a clean chit by saying that the Judge has not yet opened the sealed envelope, hence there is no question of a clean chit as being suggested by the media.

Tyrler is expected to make his stand clear at 5 pm when he will be holding a press conference at his residence.

By doing this the Congress expects to come clean on the issue as a section of the party is very worried about the implications of the Tytler issue in its poll prospects in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, who has been away for electioneering, is expected to discuss the issue with senior party leaders on her return today in the wake of the shoe-throwing incident at the Union Home Minister P Chidamabarm's press conference in the AICC headquarters which has brought renewed focus on the issue.

Officially, the party said "let's wait and see" to questions whether the party would do a rethink on their candidatures.

Party Spokesperson Jayanti Natrajan said she could not add to what has already been said by other spokesmen like Janardhan Dwivedi and Ashwini Kumar that an appropriate decision would be taken at the appropriate time.

Asked whether morality or winnability was important, she said "both are important."