Congress president Sonia Gandhi's adverse comments on the internal security situation was the proverbial last straw that saw the exit of Shivraj Patil as Union home minister.
Gandhi had in fact set the tone at the Congress Working Committee meeting by expressing unhappiness over the terrorist incidents taking place at regular intervals. The meet, by all accounts, was a hostile affair for Patil.
The Congress chief's remark was signal enough for members and invitees to list some omissions and commissions of
Patil as the home minister in the last four-and-a-half years.
Those who projected Patil in not so glorious ways include P Chidambaram, who has now succeeded him as the home
minister.
Union ministers Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath and H R Bhardwaj, who along with Chidambaram were invited to the CWC
meet despite not being its members, put forth their views which were not exactly complimentary for Patil.
Patil's resignation as Union home minister came as no surprise to his detractors and supporters alike given
the fact that he had made it known in more than subtle ways that he will only be in the post as long as he enjoys the
confidence of his leader.
In fact, when he was defeated in the 2004 polls, he was reluctant to go to a meeting of the newly elected party MPs at
Gandhi's residence and it took persuasion of several leaders which ultimately led him to attend it.
And in the next few days, his stars literally brightened with Manmohan Singh, who was chosen by Gandhi to head the government, making him his Home Minister, a post adorned by former greats like Sardar Patel.
More from rediff