JPC breaking apart even before full formation

With Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi recusing himself from the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) set up to probe the 2G spectrum allocation scam due to conflict of interest, the onus is now on the opposition BJP to withdraw its differently involved nominees.

While Singhvi, who is a noted Supreme Court lawyer, said he had represented some of the parties involved in the controversy, former ministers Yashwant Sinha, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Jaswant Singh had framed the telecommunication policy between 1998 and 2004 when the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by BJP was in power at the Centre.

Singhvi’s move is being seen as a first step in Congress’ strategy to raise the morality bogey by challenging nominations of the three former NDA ministers.

BJP, however, is refusing to buy the “probity in public life” and “recuse” theory of Congress. It has indicated that it would neither ask Sinha, Singh and Prasad to withdraw nor recuse from the panel as such a step is judicial, not political.

Nationalist Congress Party nominee YP Trivedi is also in question. It is learnt that his nomination could be challenged on the plea that he is a former director of Reliance Group, one of the companies which procured 2G spectrum from jailed former telecom minister A Raja.

In case BJP or NCP withdraws its nominees, it will entail moving a fresh motion in Lok Sabha. Being an executive decision, the existing motion cannot be amended if a member withdraws, Lok Sabha secretariat sources said.