Trinamool Congress not to oppose Govt publicly on JPC

New Delhi : A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G scam is welcome by the Trinamool Congress, the biggest ally of the Congress in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, but it will not go against the government publicly.

“We will not go against the government publicly,” said Trinamool Congress lawmaker Sudip Bandopadhayay on Tuesday amid continued logjam in Parliament over the demand for a JPC by the Opposition.

“A JPC is welcome, but we are not going against the government. There can be a debate on why the Opposition wants a JPC and the government is against it,” he said.

Media reports said Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool, which faces a crucial state polls in West Bengal next year, has put pressure on the government to soften its stand on the JPC.

Earlier, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said there are cracks in the UPA over a JPC and informed they will intensify the ongoing demand.

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.”