The ruling Congress may have dismissed BJP president Nitin Gadkari?s demand for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into alleged irregularities in works related to the Commonwealth Games but urban development minister Jaipal Reddy was said to be in favour of accepting the Opposition demand.
During informal interactions with Cabinet shortly before a meeting on Wednesday, Reddy, whose ministry is also under the scanner, argued everything was transparent in the conduct of the Games and there was no reason why the government should shy away from accepting Gadkari?s demand, said sources.
Reddy was apprehensive that the winter session of Parliament might be marred by disruptions if the Opposition?s demand was not met, the sources said. Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran countered him saying that even if the government conceded to the Opposition demand, the latter would still resort to disruptions, said sources.
The BJP has already declared that it will raise the issue of corruption in the CWG in both Houses of Parliament. There was, however, no discussion on CWG after the Cabinet meeting began.
The Congress has maintained that there is no need for any JPC probe as the government has already ordered an inquiry under a former Comptroller and Auditor General and many other agencies are also conducting probes. Sources said the party leadership favoured a ?thorough inquiry? into the allegations.
Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had told the Congress Parliamentary Party that those found guilty would be punished after the Games, avoided any mention of the CWG in her Letter to Congresspersons in the latest issue of party mouthpiece Congress Sandesh which was released on Wednesday.
She dwelt at length on issues such as floods in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, incidents of violence in Jammu & Kashmir, the Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ayodhya title suits and Bihar elections but did not mention the CWG.