New Delhi, May 7: As the second half of the budget session is facing a washout, the Congress is now looking to extract some positives from this embarrassing struggle which has only deepened the credibility crisis its government has faced over the past few years.

Congress strategists hope tomorrow’s developments — Karnataka poll results and the Supreme Court’s observations on the coal scandal investigations — would provide some opening from the paralysing deadlock it is stuck with for the last few days.

While Karnataka is expected to send glad tidings and bolster the party’s confidence, the court’s views, even if adverse, would make decision-making on the law minister’s continuance easier for the leadership.

A large section of the leaders, who feel the controversies about the law and railway ministers had erupted at the worst time as the priority at this stage was to get the food security and land acquisition bills passed, would like a clear message from the court that would finally end the leadership’s miseries.

The dilemma and conflict on the question of removing law minister Ashwani Kumar had tied the party down even on the question of railway minister Pawan Bansal whose actions are being viewed with greater alarm by the leaders.

In fact, many leaders expect Sonia Gandhi to salvage the pride sooner than later by sacking the ministers.

There are few sympathisers for either Kumar or Bansal at various levels in the party and the core committee’s indication to brazen it out hasn’t gone down well with the majority of leaders.

While many leaders are privately talking about differences between Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi on the question of Kumar’s continuance, they hint even Bansal’s fate has got interlinked.

Some leaders suggest a cabinet reshuffle after the end of the session on May 10 to drop these ministers without giving the BJP a sense of triumph in the battle on corruption.

These leaders even expect a serious attempt to push the food security bill on May 9 by wiping the slate clean by early morning.

The BJP has already abandoned its demand for the Prime Minister’s resignation and has stated that it would allow the passage of the food and land bills if the two ministers go.

Sources reveal back-channel diplomacy is at work to ensure the passage of these bills and there could be a compromise with the Opposition breaking the deadlock by tomorrow evening.

The sources said that while parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath was in constant touch with the parties, NCP leader Sharad Pawar too has been asked to talk to the Opposition. In an unusual gesture in this hostile atmosphere, Sonia herself hugged Sushma Swaraj when they ran into each other in Parliament.

Sonia is very keen to pass at least the food bill and has asked the government to try its best in the three remaining days.

The proposal to adjourn Parliament sine die before the schedule was shot down by her today only because of the food bill.

Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit today asked the BJP to explain whether scoring political points was a bigger objective for them than the larger public welfare as they were blocking these bills only to embarrass the government.