JPC meets today,Oppn may demand Chackos removal

Yashwant Sinha writes to PM,asks him to appear before the committee

On the eve of the JPC meeting on 2G allocation,opposition members indicated they will seek removal of chairman P C Chacko. We are working together towards moving a resolution for removal of Chacko, an opposition member said. Sources claimed they will meet again to chalk out their strategy for Thursdays meeting.

The move holds significance in view of the fact that A Rajas party,the DMK,has demanded Chackos removal over his refusal to allow the former telecom minister from deposing before the JPC. DMK had also raised slogans demanding Chackos removal in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

With the DMK,which has two members in the panel,siding with the opposition,the ruling establishments numbers in the 30-member JPC slip into a minority unless the chairman casts his vote to make it even. Removal of Chacko will make the governments position vulnerable in the panel. From among its outside supporters,the BSP,with two members,has not opened its cards,but is likely to be on the side of government. Mulayam Singh Yadav of the SP has indicated his reluctance to approve the report for which Raja was not called for deposition. But the SP may strike an ambivalent note suggesting it needs more time to study the report. The BJP on Wednesday indicated to support any move to remove Chacko.

We will support any move to remove Chacko, JPC member and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told The Indian Express.

Earlier,opposition members had met on Tuesday to deliberate their strategy against the draft JPC report that gives clean chit to Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

Sinha has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,asking him to appear before the JPC in the wake of Rajas claims that he was consulted on all decisions. Sinha,in his letter,has said that his reluctance will confirm his involvement in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

You must,however,be aware that on April 22,2013 your former Telecom Minister A Raja has sent a letter to the Chairman of the JPC along with a note in which in paragraph after paragraph he has said that he had kept you fully informed on whatever he was doing both in writing as well as orally. Is it not time Mr Prime Minister that you speak on these issues by appearing before the JPC? Your silence will confirm the works fear of the people of India that you were fully involved in the 2G scam and if Raja is guilty so are you, Sinha has written to the PM.