Thursday, March 23 2006 16:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Taking the wind out of opposition sails, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today (Mar 23 2006) announced her resignation from Lok Sabha as also the Chairperson of National Advisory Council (NAC), an office that threatened to cost her seat in Parliament.

As the BJP-led NDA and Samajwadi Party mounted a major political campaign against Gandhi, the 59-year-old widow of Rajiv Gandhi, sprang a surprise that could take away the sting from the opposition attack that the government's move for an Ordinance to redefine office of profit was aimed at saving her from 'a certain disqualification' as MP.

The resignation came on day the BJP petitioned President A P J Abdul Kalam seeking her disqualification from Lok Sabha on the ground she held an office of profit as Chairperson of NAC. The TDP had already petitioned the President last week in this regard.

Significantly, Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon said today that the law was same for everybody and he would consider the petition against Gandhi when it was referred by the President.

After consultations with top leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Gandhi came out with a brief statement in which she regretted that an atmosphere was being created by certain people in the country to project that the government and Parliament were being used to protect her.

"This has hurt me very much. I have stated it earlier also that I am in politics and public life not for my selfish ends. I have taken a pledge to serve the people of the country and to protect the secular ideals.

Keeping up with public life and political principles

"So in keeping with my public life and political principles and according to my own belief, I resign as a member of Lok Sabha and Chairperson of NAC," she said in a statement read out to reporters at her 10, Janpath residence with son Rahul by her side.

Gandhi was in the midst of her second term in Lok Sabha with her first term from Amethi.

Maintaining that she had full faith in the people of Rae Bareli from where she was elected and that the nation would understand her feelings, Gandhi said she would contest again from the same constituency.

With overnight indications that the government was keen on bringing an Ordinance after getting the Parliament adjourned sine die, the Union Cabinet met today but the issue did not come up, apparently because of Gandhi's reservations over including NAC in the list office of profit sought to be exempted.

While the Congressmen were keen that the NAC should be also covered by the amendment to the Members of Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, Gandhi was firm that she should not be seen as being benefited by any legal device.