NEW DELHI: The all-powerful National Advisory Council (NAC) is in a limbo following the resignation of its chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Two of its meetings have already been postponed in the aftermath of her decision to quit and none of its members nor anybody in the government is in a position to say anything about its future.
The NAC was constituted soon after the UPA came to power in the summer of 2004, to oversee the implementation of the National Common Minimum Programme of the Government. Though its role was that of an advisory body, given its composition and the fact that it was headed by Sonia Gandhi, it played a fairly pro-active role and most of its recommendations invariably found reflection in the Government’s policies.
However, since March 24, the high profile NAC office located opposite Sonia Gandhi’s residence wears an deserted look, save the security guards who wage a round the clock vigil on the premises. In fact, the Council has been in a kind of limbo ever since the Office for profit controversy broke out. It was slated to meet on the 25 th of March, but the meeting was postponed.
A senior member of the Council likened the Council status to that of an unidentified flying object. “Nobody has a clue,” is all that he was prepared to say. However, the buzz is that it will continue in its present till the proposed Bill on the office of profit granting exemption to all such positions is passed in parliament. Senior Government functionaries are also hoping that the bye-elections to the Rae Barelli Lok Sabha seat will be held soon, so that Sonia Gandhi can then come back and begin presiding over the Council once again.
