India's Sonia Gandhi to quit parliament, contest again

Sonia Gandhi speaks during a news conference in New Delhi. Picture / Reuters

NEW DELHI - The chief of India's ruling Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, said yesterday she would quit as member of parliament and a key advisory body after a controversy threatened to disqualify her from parliament.

"I have decided to resign from the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) and the national advisory council," Gandhi told a news conference, adding that she would contest elections again for her parliamentary seat.

India's constitution bars members of parliament from holding what it calls an office of profit - any government post that entitles them to pay and perks. But in practice many lawmakers also serve on official bodies outside parliament.

The controversy erupted after another member of parliament was disqualified this month for serving as head of a state cinema development board.

Since then, several petitions have been filed against other members of parliament, including Italian-born Gandhi, whose party came to power at the head of a communist-backed coalition in May 2004.

The National Advisory Council was established to advise the coalition government on policy and give Gandhi a supervisory role after she declined the post of prime minister.

The government abruptly adjourned parliament on Wednesday and was considering issuing an emergency ordinance to change the law over the "office of profit" provision.

But this evoked a storm of protest from the opposition, which accused the government of subverting parliament.

"For the last two days, some people in the country were trying to create an impression that parliament was being misused for my benefit," Gandhi said.

"This has hurt me. I have said before that in my political and personal life, I have not wanted any private benefit."

- REUTERS