Pranab-led panel to probe Tharoor charges

New Delhi: With a united Opposition gunning for Shashi Tharoor for his alleged involvement with IPL's Kochi team promoters, it was left to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to sort out the issue.

CNN IBN has learnt that the UPA has decided not to take any action till the Prime Minister returns. Pranab has also been asked to do the firefighting in Parliament if the Opposition tries to blame the government for not acting against Tharoor.

The minister from Kerala is willing to explain his case personally to the Prime Minister when he returns next week. PM had earlier said on Tharoor issue, "I will ascertain facts before deciding on the course of action."

So far, it's been a case of Lalit Modi's word versus Tharoor, both are still standing by their charges against each other. Modi maintains that Tharoor had called him to prevent him from finding out the real identities of Rendezvous Sports while Tharoor says he called Modi asking for speedy clearance of paper work of the IPL team.

In Parliament though, the Opposition has already pronounced its verdict. CPI's Nilotpal Basu has already made clear his party's stnace on the episode. "He must resign," Basu had said earlier. But for a party like the Congress where image means everything, Tharoor's graph has fallen rapidly.

So far he has managed to lead a charmed life due to his close proximity to the Congress president. Now as he faces the toughest challenge of his brief political career, it's Sonia's support that's going to be the make or break factor for him.