M A I N   N E W S

2G: NDA firm on JPC probe
Advani meets alliance leaders
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 1
National Democratic Alliance leaders today met their chairman LK Advani in wake of PAC chief Murli Manohar Joshi going full steam ahead with his probe into the 2G scam and thereby giving a jolt to the Opposition campaign for a JPC probe into the issue.

Emerging from Advani’s house, NDA co-convener Sharad Yadav said the Opposition wants a JPC probe into the Spectrum scam and nothing short of it.

Sources said Advani had to call the meeting to clear any misgivings about the NDA campaign and to reiterate his party and the Opposition alliance’s unyielding attitude towards the JPC demand.

Two days ago, Advani and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj were invited by Speaker Meira Kumar to resolve the impasse.

But they rejected her appeal reiterating that if the government did not yield to their demand, they would stall Parliamentary proceedings in the coming budget session as well.

The next day she called leaders of other parties, including Sharad Yadav and leaders of the two communist parties. But here while the Communists did not relent on the JPC demand, they clarified that they do not brook sacrificing all other issues at the cost of this one demand, implying clearly that they do not support any more disruption of Parliamentary proceedings.

Together with the PAC chairman attempting to pull the rug from under the feet of Advani and his lieutenants, the Left position seemed to have further weakened the Opposition stand. That is why Advani hurriedly called today’s meeting to reiterate the NDA position.

Formally, the BJP had stated that the meeting was held to discuss the next NDA rally proposed to be held at Guwahati on January 9.