Cong disapproves of Kamat, Moily

"These things should not have happened," Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters when asked to comment on Kamat`s resignation and Moily`s outburst against "vested interests" for change of his portfolio.

Kamat, who held the portfolio of Minister of State for Home and Communications, was upset after he was shifted to a new Ministry for Drinking Water and Sanitation.

With regard to the resignation of Kamat, Singhvi said it was a matter between the government and the person concerned.

The spokesman also insisted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had not categorically ruled out any further reshuffle of Council of Ministers, contending that he had only hoped it would be the last such major exercise before polls.

To a question regarding Moily`s utterances, Singhvi said any explanation of any remark made by a minister is a matter between him and the government.

"He would explain to the government and the Prime Minister if asked," the Congress spokesperson said.

To a volley of questions on the reshuffle which has been dubbed as a "dud", "new faces without any face-lift" and a "lacklustre affair", Singh refused to subscribe to such suggestions.

"A decision has been taken entirely in the interest of the nation, governance and the party. It is good and extremely efficient decision (which will have) positive results," he said, adding that the party is fully behind the Prime Minister in the matter.

Asked whether attempts are being made to persuade sulking Kamat, he said "I have nothing more to say."

Asked whether the action by Kamat and Moily suggests any communication gap between the Prime Minister and the ministers, Singhvi said, "I will not make any comments on that."

Singhvi insisted that the reshuffle exercise was carried out by the Prime Minister after going into various factors which cannot be quantified or measured. "It is best left to the exclusive authority," he said.

He said the Congress has been a political force to reckon with in the country in the last 125 years because it "knows rules of governance and to do what, how and when."

Talking separately, senior leader Mohan Prakash, in-charge of party affairs in Maharashtra, said Kamat is a senior leader of the party and his action appears to be an "instant one, not a permanent one."

Asked whether he would be persuaded, Prakash merely said, "He understands."