After resignation, Gurudas Kamat in reconciliatory mode

Gurudas Kamat is now said to be in direct communication with party seniors in Delhi

Gurudas Kamat appears to be making moves for rapprochement with the Congress high command.

Yesterday, he diluted his stand further and denied reports that he quit the Congress because the party ignored him for Rajya Sabha nomination from Maharashtra and instead chose P Chidambaram. He also denied that he was upset about Narayan Rane's nomination to the state legislative council.

Gurudas Kamat is now said to be in direct communication with party seniors in Delhi

Source in the Congress said that Kamat had been meeting party seniors in Delhi. The leader stopped his supporters from staging a demonstration on Wednesday and also asked the party's civic corporators to not submit their resignations.

Congress leaders saw the developments of the past two days as Kamat's efforts to avoid upsetting Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. In an earlier message in which Kamat had said he was quitting the Congress and retiring from active politics, he had blamed the high command for pushing him to the extreme step. However, the next day, he said he respected the high command and his decision was purely on personal grounds.

Yesterday, Kamat's office issued a statement saying that he was not against the nominations of Chidambaram and Rane. "A section of the media reported that Kamat had objected to the nomination of Chidambaram and Narayan Rane. Mr Kamat stated that Mr Chidambaram is a very senior and respected leader and that he has worked under him in the home ministry. He holds Mr Chidambaram in very high esteem," said the statement.

"Mr Kamat further clarified that there were no differences with Mr Narayan Rane also, and there is no question of having objected to either of their nominations which can be verified from the highest in the party hierarchy, instead of relying on ‘unscrupulous rumourmongers'," the statement added.

Several leaders, including national spokespersons have said that Kamat (61), was an integral part of the Congress and they would convince him to withdraw his retirement. In the past, Kamat had resigned thrice from various posts, including the union minister's position. All these decisions came as shockers to both his supporters and detractors. He did not change his mind then, but his loyalists are confident that this time, he will not disappoint them.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam - who is in the eye of storm following Kamat's extreme step - is expected to meet Rahul Gandhi on Monday.