M A I N   N E W S

Joshi is PAC chief again
Faraz Ahmad/TNS

Gaining Trust Not long ago, Joshi was being mocked at by the BJP for vigorously pursuing the probe into the 2G scam while the party wanted to wind it up to clear the path for a JPC. But when Joshi pushed through a report on the 2G scam unpalatable to UPA members, his equation in the BJP changed drastically

New Delhi, May 1
A day after Murli Manohar Joshi expressed apprehension that his critics in the Congress may oppose the renewal of his Public Accounts Committee chairmanship, his party and the main Opposition, the BJP, promptly nominated him to head the committee for a second successive term this year.

Traditionally, the main opposition party names the PAC head on its behalf as the chief has to be from the Opposition. The PAC is the most important House panel which is responsible for conducting the financial audit of various departments and ministries. Usually, it is the senior-most leader who is nominated and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha then appoints the nominee.

Joshi’s reappointment will be effected from today and he will be the chairperson for one year. The committee will have new members who have been elected in the budget session of Parliament.

The 77-year-old BJP veteran was recently at the centre of major controversy after he circulated the draft report on the 2G scam, slamming the Prime Minister’s Office and P Chidambaram for not handling the issue properly. He was attacked by PAC members belonging to UPA who alleged that the report was prepared with a “mala fide intention” to defame and destabilise the government.

At the last meeting of the previous committee on April 28, UPA members wanted a vote on the draft report. Joshi walked out in a huff. Members went ahead with the vote and the draft was defeated 11: 10.

Interestingly, the BJP - which wasn’t very happy with Joshi after he wanted the PAC to vigorously pursue the probe into the 2G scam, whereas the former wanted a JPC probe into it - today chose to rally behind its veteran leader.

When the government took the plea that the PAC was already looking into the 2G and the JPC would only supplement the PAC task, Advani and the two Leaders of Opposition - Sushma Swaraj in the Lok Sabha and Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha - contested it by saying that the PAC’s role was limited to probing only the financial issues raised by the CAG.