The decks have been cleared for the resignation of Jagdish Tytler, minister of state for non-resident Indians, for his alleged involvement in the 1984 riots against Sikhs in Delhi in which over 3,000 Sikhs were massacred in Kalyanpuri, Trilokpuri and other parts of Delhi.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] is understood have discussed the matter with the United Progressive Alliance Coordination Committee chairperson Sonia Gandhi [Images]. "It is a matter of time before you hear about Tytler's resignation," a senior Congressman told rediff.com on Wednesday morning.

• Trouble brewing for Tytler

"I do not know what is transpiring within the government, but with the kind of pressure that is being built against Tytler by the public and the political parties, he has to go," said Tarlochan Singh, chairman of the National Miniority Commission.

Justice G T Nanavati, who submitted his report on the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi in October/November 1984, had in his findings said that there was a probablity that Tytler was involved in the anti-Sikh riots and that the government should direct further investigations after registering a first information report against the minister.

Others who have been named in the report include Sajjan Kumar, Congress member of Parliament from outer Delhi and Dharam Dass Shastri, former Congress member of Lok Sabha from Karol Bagh.

Though Tytler claimed that there was strong support within the party and the government for him and that he would not tender his resignation, sources in the party feel that if the allies of the Congress party build up pressure against him, it would be difficult to justify his continuation in the Cabinet particularly in view of the fact that Justice Nanavati is also due to submit his report on the Gujarat riots.

He may come out with strong recommendations against Narendra Modi [Images] government and that would allow the ruling UPA to put the Bhartiya Janata Party on the mat and seek Modi's removal as chief minister of Gujarat.