Tuesday, December 6 2005 11:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Wilting under mounting pressure, Union minister K Natwar Singh, named by Volcker committee as a beneficiary of illegal payoffs in Iraqi oil scam, yesterday (Dec 5,2005) night decided to resign from the cabinet.

Natwar Singh conveyed his decision to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is in Moscow, over telephone, nearly a month after he was divested of External Affairs Minister and made a minister without portfolio in the wake of the controversy.

Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said Natwar Singh told the Prime Minister that he would personally hand over his resignation to him on his return from Russia visit on Wednesday.

After the telephonic conversation with the Prime Minister, Natwar Singh met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for an hour and apprised her of his talks with Manmohan Singh.