No comforting words for Ashok Chavan from Congress

He was replying to a volley of questions on the issue including whether Chavan would step down as the name of his late mother-in-law Bhagwati Manoharlal Sharma has come up as a beneficiary in the Adarsh co-operative housing society in Mumbai.

The issue is becoming an embarrassment for the party,which is leading the coalition government in Maharashtra.

Tewari said that Defence Minister A K Antony has already stated that the matter will be investigated and action taken if someone was found responsible.

A senior party leader said that Antony is also in charge of Congress affairs in Maharashtra and is known for probity in public life.

Yesterday,Congress President Sonia Gandhi held consultations with senior leaders Antony and Pranab Mukherjee in the backdrop of the controversy.

The CBI is investigating how defence land was transferred to the Adarsh co-operative housing society and how the beneficiaries,including former services chiefs,politicians and bureaucrats,raised money to buy apartments meant for Kargil war heroes and their families.

The Adarsh society in Colaba was originally meant to be a six-storey structure to house Kargil war heroes and widows but was converted into a 31-storey tower.

Congress managers feel that various issues including the Commonwealth Games mess,the spectrum allocation row as also Adarsh apartments controversy could trigger stormy scenes in winter session of Parliament beginning Nov 9.