The main opposition BJP and other parties have given enough hints that they would confront Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament and ask him what action he intended to take against Raja and why he was being shielded.
Parliament again appears set for tumultuous scenes tomorrow with the opposition united on its demand for sacking telecom minister A Raja in the wake of the 2G spectrum controversy, alleged to be one of the biggest scams of independent India.
The main opposition BJP and other parties have given enough hints that they would confront Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament and ask him what action he intended to take against Raja and why he was being shielded.
The opposition also plans to seek an explanation from the prime minister for the controversial minister's comments that he had put the PMO in the loop at every stage during the spectrum allocation. Its refrain was that the prime minister should break his silence.
"Every time when confronted, Raja stressed that he has sought guidance and permission from the prime minister at every stage. This casts heavy responsibility on the PM to clarify whether he has personally approved the procedure, which Raja was adopting," is the contention of opposition leaders.
The prime minister, who on Friday returned from the G-20 summit in Seoul, has so far been evading questions on the matter. "Parliament is in session. It is not proper for me to comment on a subject which is also probably in the court," he had said.
The BJP and its allies along with other opposition parties raised the issue vociferously last week which resulted in paralysing Parliament almost on all days.
Non-UPA and non-NDA parties will also meet tomorrow to evolve a "common strategy and collective stand" in the backdrop of the impasse in Parliament on the issue. The meeting convened by JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda is likely to be attended by senior leaders of CPI(M), CPI, RSP, Forward Bloc, BJD, AIADMK, RLD, SP and TDP.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar has alleged that the affidavit submitted by the government in Supreme Court on the 2G Spectrum allotment "is testimony of the abject and complete surrender of the Congress before its partner DMK for mere survival in office".
The BJP sought a clarification from the prime minister on the issue, asking if PMO had given its assent to 2G spectrum allotment without auction, "as is being suggested by DoT and A Raja".
JD(U)'s Shivanand Tiwari says Raja's resignation has become secondary and an explanation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has become "primary" following the affidavit.
CPI leader D Raja says that since the prime minister is the head of the government, it was for him to explain the matter.
The opposition campaign for the removal of Raja is expected to gain further momentum in the days ahead with the CAG report on the 2G Spectrum allocation pointing to revenue loss of up to Rs 1.76 lakh crore set to be tabled in Parliament in the next few days.
With the DMK adamant against the removal of Raja, Congress is giving more than hints that the Dravidian party is its partner as of now but made it known that "it is very difficult to say what will happen in future".
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