Sources said party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had floated the idea of granting constitutional status to Lokpal, is also furious after the bill failed to get through in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday because of want of requisite numbers. According to preliminary details, 16 MPs of the UPA were absent.
Of them, six Congress MPs are from Gujarat, including Union Minister Dinsha Patel who was at home in connection with the marriage of his grand daughter. Among others who were said to be absent were K Sudhakaran (Kerala), Hamdullah Sayeed (Lakshadweep), K Raj Gopal Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) and M Rajamohan Reddy.
Reddy is a supporter of YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy and has already submitted his resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. Three MPs of DMK and two of Trinamool Congress were also absent.
The sources said Sonia Gandhi was angry and has tasked party MPs Girija Vyas and Sandeep Dikshit to prepare the list and find out the reasons for the absence. A show cause notice would be issued to the absentee MPs, they said. With regard to action against the absentee MPs of allies, the sources said it was for the leadership of respective parties to decide.