All-party meeting Tuesday over parliament logjam

NEW DELHI - The government has decided to convene an all-party meeting Tuesday in an effort to end the logjam in parliament over the oppositions demand for Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probes into alleged corruption in the allocation of 2G spectrum and the Commonwealth Games preparations.

Sources Monday said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has written to leaders of various political parties about the luncheon meeting Tuesday that will be attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is Leader of the Lok Sabha.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left have demanded a JPC into the 2G spectrum allocation, saying the resignation of A. Raja as communications and IT minister on the issue was not enough. The government, however, has ruled out a JPC, saying that the Public Accounts Committee would go into the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the spectrum allocation issue.

Both the houses have not been able to transact any major business since the winter session commenced last Tuesday following the 2G spectrum row. Raja resigned Sunday night following persistent pressure from the opposition on the issue.

Official sources said the government is willing to list the CWG issue in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.

Sports Minister M.S. Gill is expected to reply to the debate on behalf of the government.