Joint parliamentary committe probe concern grows for Congress as allies back opposition

Desperate to break the logjam in Parliament over the joint parliamentary committe probe (JPC) demand by the opposition, the government found itself in deeper trouble on Monday when two of its key allies — the DMK and the Trinamool Congress — broke ranks and sought a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

The Congress’s position weakened considerably when DMK’s TR Baalu and Trinamool’s Sudeep Bandhopadhyay supported a JPC probe openly at an all-party meeting called by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. The government had offered an expanded probe into the scam by the public accounts committee (PAC) headed by a BJP leader.

Highly placed sources told DNA that there are several reasons why the government is resisting the JPC. It will be in a minority when the committee is constituted. The strength of the JPC is decided on the basis of numbers each party has in both houses of Parliament.

The Congress will have only 11 members in the 30-member body. Under rules, the chairman will be from the ruling party. But then nobody is confident which ally will remain with the Congress at the crucial time of voting. In any case, the UPA cannot have more than 15 members under any circumstances. That makes the government’s position vulnerable.

Moreover, the probe will not remain confined to the 2G issue. It will spill over to corporate lobbyist Nira Radia, industrial houses and the prime minister’s office’s role. The JPC can summon any person, including the PM, and call for any file. “We cannot risk such a probe,” said a Congress functionary.     

Another reason for the Congress to get worried about is, the opposition will not be contended with one JPC. If the 2G JPC is accepted, it will rake up the Commonwealth Games issue and demand a separate JPC and also another for the Adarsh Housing Society scam.

The Congress is delaying its response in Parliament hoping that the Supreme Court will give direction for the court-monitored inquiry into the scam. Once the court orders an inquiry, the government will say that it cannot have a JPC as another is going on.  Therefore, it will not allow the parliament to adjourn sine-die.
While most of the senior Congress leaders are in favour of the JPC, it now transpires that the PM is personally against it as it will put him under the scanner of the parliamentary body.

The shadow of political uncertainty was felt in the Lok Sabha today when Congress president Sonia Gandhi walked up to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav to congratulate him on his 71st birthday. The fact that the two are at loggerheads and hardly even on talking terms, is a thing of the past. Mulayam Singh was totally taken back to see Gandhi walking up to him. He thanked her with folded hands while others watched.

Political observers do not give too much credence to the DMK-Trinamool support to the JPC, saying they were just doing it for their own political ends in their respective states and will stay put with the Congress.