BJP looks for hole in UPA on 2G scam

New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main Opposition, has said it will intensify the ongoing demand for setting up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the 2G scam, rejecting the government formula to discuss the matter on the floor of Parliament, which has ‘virtually remained inoperative for the past 17 days.

The BJP renewed its thrust after the postponement of an emergency meeting, called by the Congress to discuss the logjam in Parliament with its UPA allies on Monday night.

“The BJP will continue to push for a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam till the government gives in”, its spokesperson Tarun Vijay said.

But dismissing reports of differences among UPA partners over the JPC issue, Sharad Pawar, chief of the key Congress ally, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), said,”UPA is united, there is no rethink on the stand against JPC.”

After meeting Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Pawar said it would be a collective decision of the UPA allies if anything came in future on JPC.

Pawar said there was no change in the decision and the government thought that the Public Accounts Committee was sufficient to probe 2G dispute.

But many speculated that there were some parties like the NPC and the Trinamool Congress, which were in favour of a JPC probe.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government was under no pressure at all to call a JPC.

On Monday, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi virtually challenged the Opposition to bring a no confidence against the government on the issue.

Unrelenting pressure from allies, particularly Mamata Banerjee, led the Congress to agree to discuss the issue afresh with three allies ? Trinamool Congress, NCP and the DMK.

The representative of three partners were scheduled to meet Pranab Mukherjee.

However, the meeting was suddenly put off for unconfirmed reasons ? that Mamata was not in town was cited as one ? but the very fact that it was called pointed to the pressure on the Congress leadership.

Banerjee, who believes that a stubborn opposition to a JPC could hurt Trinamool’s chances in the upcoming West Bengal polls, was quoted by TV channels as supporting the demand for a parliamentary probe.

“I have been saying for a long time that we want the truth to come out in the 2G spectrum issue. We are with the Prime Minister in whatever he decides.”