However, Amar Singh took strong exception to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil’s “small incident in big city” remark and criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s visit to Taj Mahal hotel with people from the entertainment industry. Singh is learnt to have urged the Congress to get both these leaders to resign from their posts.

The fact that the allies want to maintain distance from the Congress on terrorism again became clear during the all-party meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence when SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav asked the Congress to “own up” the responsibility for terror attacks.

Earlier in the day, Lalu said the resignation of Home Minister Shivraj Patil was “too late”.