Thursday, March 23 2006 20:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Sonia Gandhi's sudden resignation from the Lok Sabha and the National Advisory Council brought reactions on expected lines with Congressmen hailing it as an "act of sacrifice" while BJP dubbed it as a "desperate attempt to save her face after being caught red handed" on the issue of office of profit.

But her quitting also led to demands for resignation from Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and several others in the Congress as also Left parties and those in the opposition, facing similar situation to emulate Gandhi.

While Leader of the Opposition L K Advani sought to take credit for Gandhi's resignation suggesting that the protests launched by the opposition led to "this sequence of events."

Congress spokesman Rajeev Shukla hailed Gandhi's sacrifice and asked BJP leaders in the Centre and the States enjoying office of profit to tender their resignations.

Noting that Gandhi had set an example of morality, he wanted BJP to follow suit.

Former Prime Minister V P Singh also eulogised Gandhi's action saying that she had set a good tradition. He wanted an all-party meeting to be convened to ensure that the issue of office of profit did not affect those working for the public cause.

Slamming the Congress President's decision, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said "Politics of revenge has recoiled back and Sonia Gandhi has become a victim of her own conspiracy. This grand standing will not help."

CPI(M) ruled out resignation of its MPs

While the CPI(M) ruled out resignation of its MPs holding office of profit, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee utilised the opportunity to asked the Speaker and other Left MPs to quit forthwith maintaining they could not discriminate against law.

Veteran CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu said the law would take its own course in the matter of offices of profit.

"Is it so? Sonia Gandhi has resigned? Whatever is there in law will take place. I will not comment further," Basu said.

The Samajwadi Party, earlier in the day, declared that its MP Amar Singh, who is facing a disqualification petition, would not resign his seat in the Rajya Sabha.

Suspended Samajwadi Party MP Raj Babbar, however, said Gandhi has set a good precedent in politics and noted whenever there is a finger of suspicion pointed at any political leader he or she should follow the example.

"Those who want to continue in their posts due to their greed should learn a lesson from it," Babbar, who is a known detractor of Amar Singh, said.

The Janata Dal (U) welcomed Gandhi's decision and utilised the opportunity to seek the resignation of Somnath Chatterjee, senior Congress leader Karan Singh and other party MPs who are holding office of profit.

If Congress MPs wanted to prove that they are ardent followers of Gandhi, they should resign and seek re-election to the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha, JD(U) spokesman Shambhu Srivastwa told sources here.

BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitely said Gandhi's plans to resign as MP and NAC Chairperson may be projected as a "grand standing", but it is a case of a "confession of a culprit caught red handed trying to subvert the Constitution and Parliament."