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The BJP on Friday termed Rahul Gandhi’s denouncement of the ordinance on convicted lawmakers as a "desperate and belated" damage control exercise and wondered whether the PM will resign in its aftermath or people responsible for passing it (ordinance) sacked from official positions.

"It’s only when the revulsion has built across the country against this ordinance that the Congress party is trying to cut its losses," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said, adding that "in the last one month, the same subject matter of enabling convicted legislators to be a part of the legislative bodies has been approved by the UPA Cabinet twice, first as a Bill and now as a ordinance".

"This is a drama being enacted by the Congress to take the credit which otherwise appeared either going to the President or BJP after BJP leadership petitioned the President opposing the ordinance," BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said, underlining that "one would not be surprised if the stupid ordinance was done with the intention that Rahul Gandhi can dismiss it with a flourish and gain applaud".

Jaitley said the drama was an attempt by the Congress vice-president to project party’s first family in bright light.

"It is a charade to show the government can make a mistake, but the Congress’s first family doesn’t."

BJP suggested either the Prime Minister should resign to save the credibility of the Cabinet whose decision has been rebuked by the Congress vice-president or punish those in the Cabinet who pushed the ordinance.

"The country is waiting to see whether the Prime Minister has any self-respect left...whether he accepts this compliment of being called nonsense or does he react for the honour of his own government," Arun Jaitley said.

The party, however, appeared sympathising with the Prime Minister for facing such a public assertion of no-confidence in a decision by his Cabinet by his party’s vice-president while he was abroad and was slated to hold meeting with the United States President.

"It is a sad day to treat the post of the Prime Minister in a shoddy manner just before he is to meet the Unied States President, but it’s a big question whether Mr Prime Minister will resign from the office as his self respect has been diminished or continue the perpetuation of diarchal system. We all know that this was a face saving exercise by the Congress party but it need not have been at the cost of belittling the office of India’s Prime Minister," Lekhi said.