Top sources in the Government told The Financial Express that Jagmohan, who was shifted suddenly from the communication ministry less than a month ago, was asked by the President to explain the entire telecom revenue-sharing issue.

The President's decision to get a briefing from Jagmohan is being interpreted as an effort to get a first hand idea from a person known to have bitterly opposed all moves to allow revenue sharing. Infact, the stance of Jagmohan led to his being shifted out.

The President's summon to Jagmohan has come just a day before major Opposition parties barring Congress are slated to approach Rashtrapati Bhavan to protest aginst the "illegitimate" and "unconstitutional" decision of the BJP-led Government. Sources said formerprime minister Chandra Shekhar has also written a letter to the President against the bailout package.

This is the second time in less than a month that the President has sought details on economic decisions taken by the care-taker Government. Narayanan had summoned the Indian Airlines managing director Anil Baijal in June for clarifications on the cabinet decision to infuse Rs 125 crore into the airline as part of a financial-restructuring package. The cabinet, however, overruled the President's objection to the capital infusion at that time.

Opposition parties, who insist that the BJP Government has no locus standi on taking such important policy decisions, are now saying that a "deal" has been struck at the behest of telecom companies.

Major opposition parties, led by the Left and powerful trade unions like the Committee of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said on Friday it was "unwarranted" for a care-taker Government to take important policy decisions as was done by the Vajpayee Government with regardto the telecom policy.

Stating that the new telecom policy had not yet been approved by Parliament, CITU alleged that there is a big scam involved in allowing private operators including multinational companies (MNCs) to move from the licence regime to the revenue sharing formula.

The committee urged all trade unions and mass organisations to launchprotest actions demanding withdrawal of the measure of the Government and send copies of the resolutions to the Prime minister.

"No wonder that big business has hailed the decision. As demanded by them, the Government may further go ahead to corporatise the department of telecommunication, a step ahead of its privatisation", CITU said. It alleged the "brazen surrender' of the Government to the demands of the private sector and MNCs had once again exposed the hoax of its Swadeshi and emboldened the big business to make further demand for disinvestment beyond 50 per cent so that overall control over these PUSs is vested with them.

"This will further enablethem to come out of the Article 12 of the constitution and the ambit of compulsory audit by the comptroller and auditor general as well as the central vigilance commissioner.