Monday, May 9 2005 20:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A day after publicly attacking Congress high command for inducting former Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Nirupam into the party, Union Minister Sunil Dutt today (May 9, 2005) met party chief Sonia Gandhi and later said he had conveyed his stand to her.

"When I met Soniaji, I told her it was not the right decision (to induct Nirupam), but she said she was given to understand that he had approved the move and I had okayed it," Dutt told reporters in New Delhi.

Dutt said, "It was then that Soniaji came to know that I had never given my nod and that she had been misled."

The meeting between Dutt and Gandhi came after the Sports Minister had in Mumbai last night criticised the high command's recent controversial decision to admit Nirupam into party-fold and had said that Gandhi had not been given correct information about him.

AICC (All India Congress Committee) general secretaries Margaret Alva and Ambika Soni had defended Nirupam's induction into the party with Alva saying the decision was taken after consulting Congress leaders from Maharashtra including Dutt.

Meanwhile, Nirupam told 'Aajtak' that he wanted Dutt to "forget the past and start a new slate by working together."