New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defence Minister A.K. Antony in a bid to end the row arising out of a controversial finance ministry note on 2G spectrum.


Gandhi first held a meeting with Antony and her political secretary Ahmed Patel at her residence. She met Mukherjee later at the same venue.

"Efforts are on at the party and government level to defuse the situation," a Congress leader said.

The new twist in the 2G spectrum allocation came after a March 25 note to the prime minister's office (PMO) from the finance ministry surfaced stating that the airwaves could have been auctioned in 2008 if Chidambaram, who was then the finance minister, had "stuck to his stand".

The letter created speculation that Mukherjee and Chidambaram were at loggerheads on the controversial issue.

Mukherjee's meet with Gandhi came a day after he wrote a detailed letter to the prime minister clarifying his role on the raging controversy.

A copy of the letter was sent to Gandhi.

This is the second meeting Mukherjee had with Gandhi. He had earlier met her Monday. Chidambaram too met her Monday and the prime minister Wednesday.

Mukherjee in his letter said that the March 2011 note was actually part of a background paper prepared after inter-ministerial consultations.