No split in UPA on joint parliamentary committee: Sharad Pawar

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar tonight dismissed any talk of split in the UPA on the issue of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the second-generation mobile telephony spectrum scam.

"Where is the question of split. We discuss," was the refrain of Pawar after a meeting with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is the Leader of the Lok Sabha.

Asked whether some of the UPA allies hold different views than that of the Congress which is opposed to formation of the JPC, he said "it will be a collective decision."

"I don't think any change is there. Opposition is insisting on JPC. Government thinks Public Accounts Committee is sufficient," he said.

Asked what are NCP's views on the issue, he said "we are here to discuss the issue as UPA and not as NCP or any other party".

To a question whether the winter session was being adjourned sine die ahead of its scheduled conclusion on December 13, he said no such decision has been taken.

A meeting of UPA allies scheduled tonight in the wake of persisting opposition demand for JPC into 2G spectrum allocation was postponed at the last moment.

The meeting convened by Mukherjee is now expected to be held in a day or two.

It had to be postponed as a number of leaders of allies were not in Delhi as they could not get information in time.

The issue of alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocation has paralysed Parliament turning the winter session into a virtual washout.