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'My heart belongs to Congress. It was unfortunate I left'

Former Union minister Buta Singh met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi Tuesday to ask her to re-induct him into the party.

He said Gandhi responded positively. ''I have been a Congressman for 33 years. My heart belongs to the Congress. It was unfortunate that I left the party,'' the independent MP, who voted against the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, said.

He said he had not formally joined the Congress yet, but only made a request. He claimed that at least 15 MPs would be returning.

Buta Singh was of the opinion that Gandhi should be the prime minister. Asked whether he had demanded any ministerial berth if she came to power, he said he had no such ambition. ''I am not an opportunist. I did not ask Mr Vajpayee a ministerial berth and I am not asking Mrs Gandhi either,'' he said.

Another former Congress leader to meet Gandhi at her residence Tuesday morning was Kalpnath Rai.

Rai was with Gandhi for about 35 minutes. On the eve of the confidence motion, he had called on All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief J Jayalalitha.

UNI

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