Three union ministers have created a flutter at the Union Cabinet meeting press briefing today. The three rushed from Race Course Road to 10 Janpath to brief Congress president Sonia Gandhi to ensure that a decision on gas pricing is not made.

But Dr Manmohan Singh was adamant to get the Union Cabinet take a  decision -- which in fact, is a clear indication of the political intention of the Congress to go in for a dissolution of Parliament soon after the Monsoon session.

Irrespective of whether the Parliament passes the Food Security Bill, the dissolution of gas pricing and disinvestments of Neyveli and other PSUs remain a concern.

The UPA government rushing to announce the gas pricing hike, nine months ahead of schedule, has put the Congress Party in a tight spot.

Dr Manmohan Singh's intention seems clear -- the government is not keen on Sonia Gandhi's Food Security Bill, but wants to rush gas pricing. A senior union minister said that the government wants investors confidence, but with gas pricing, the Congress has lost the voters' confidence.

At the Cabinet meet briefing, finance minister P Chidambaram suddenly stood up and left and handed over the mic to Manish Tiwari. Needless to say, Chidambaram certainly answered a few tough questions, but did not give satisfactory answers. When he felt that the questions at the press conference were getting uncomfortable, he and Veerappa Moily left. Manish Tiwari certainly looked bewildered.