Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh on Thursday met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in the backdrop of the controversy over Jet-Etihad deal.

While Mr. Ajit claimed that he met Mrs. Sonia to invite her for a function about a proposed civil aviation university in Rae Bareli, sources said that the minister also discussed the Jet-Etihad controversy and expressed his discontent over the PMO press release that distinguished the stake sale deal from the government's bilateral air services accord with Abu Dhabi.

After the meeting, the minister said, "The Airports Authority of India wants the foundation stone to be laid before July 15. So, I went and met her to extend an invitation."

But according to the sources, Mr. Ajit felt, as head of the civil aviation ministry, his role had not been properly acknowledged in negotiating the bilateral agreement.

He reportedly also felt that PMO's concerned press release suggested that the stake sale deal between Jet and Etihad wasn't exactly a done deal because it needed to go through due processes.

On April 24, the government announced that it had signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi to increase the number of seats between the two nations. On the very same day, Etihad Airways announced that it was ready to acquire a 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways for around Rs 2,058 crore.

Many Opposition leaders criticized the deal, saying it was not in the country's interest. Senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury alleged that the government tweaked national policy in order to assist the private deal.