New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to make a statement on the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the 2G spectrum scam in Parliament tomorrow and a resolution on the JPC will be moved on February 24.
The development coincided with the Budget session of the Parliament taking off with a joint address by President Pratibha Patil to both Houses of Parliament.
(Read: President addresses Parliament)The Prime Minister's statement on the JPC could be a part of his reply to the President's speech.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had earlier demanded an announcement of the JPC on Tuesday but it is believed to have agreed with the Centre's proposal in a meeting of the business advisory council.
The reason cited to delay the statement on JPC was a convention to discuss the motion of thanks on the President's speech on the first two days of the Budget session.
The Prime Minister had, earlier in the day, expressed hope of a "peaceful and productive session".
"The Budget session of Parliament is very crucial," he said. "The Budget has to be debated, passed. We hope to bring important pieces of legislation for consideration of Parliament. Our sincere hope that this session will be peaceful and productive."
(Watch)The BJP, though, had struck a strident note just ahead of the Budget session with Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, saying that the Prime Minister had a lot to answer for and that a mere statement on A Raja will not do.
(Watch)Desperate to avoid any further disruption in Parliament, the government had, earlier on Sunday, conveyed to the Opposition at an all-party meeting called by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in New Delhi that it had agreed to the Opposition's demand for a JPC to investigate the 2G spectrum scam .
The meeting had been called just a day ahead of the crucial Budget Session that began today. The Speaker urged for an end to the deadlock over JPC and restoration of normalcy in Parliament. During the Winter Session, the government's no to a JPC inquiry into the 2G spectrum scam had led to a complete paralysis of Parliament with less than 10 hours of business being conducted.
On its part, the BJP which had been demanding JPC into all major scams relented to a JPC on the 2G scam only.
Yet, despite the agreement, it's likely to be a stormy Parliament session.
And in the line of fire could be the PM, especially after his defence last week.
During his interaction with television editors on February 16, the Prime Minister had said, "We are a coalition government, you can suggest your preferences but have to go back to what the leader of that party wants."
Responding to that, BJP leader LK Advani blogged on Sunday that "neither the Vajpayee government, nor any other NDA government in the states has ever allowed coalition dharma to become an alibi or excuse for compromising with integrity or good governance."
The Prime Minister had also said that he is not as big a culprit as made out. Responding to this statement, BJP President Nitin Gadkari, on Sunday, said, "PM said I am not as much a culprit as you think, so I ask 'What percent culprit are you'?"
Interestingly, the JPC which is likely to have 30 members, may have no place for smaller parties like the AIADMK - the arch rival of A Raja's party.