Sonia to address Congress MPs Monday

NEW DELHI - Congress president Sonia Gandhi is expected to address party MPs here Monday over the stalemate over the spectrum row that has crippled parliament for three long weeks.

The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting has been convened on the last day of the winter session.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of unending opposition protests demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in the 2G spectrum controversy. The government has turned down the demand.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also wants a JPC on allegations of corruption in the Commonwealth Games and the Adarsh housing society scam in Mumbai.

The Congress has rejected the demand for JPCs, saying a multi-agency probe was being conducted in all three cases and that the opposition demand was “aimed at political grandstanding”.

The Left also wants a JPC.

Congress sources said the party will firm up its plan of action to take on the opposition at the party’s plenary which will be held here from Dec 18.

The Congress is facing internal troubles in Andhra Pradesh following the resignation of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, who has decided to float his party.

The report of committee on a separate Telangana is also expected this month.

Congress sources said the plenary will focus on the party’s preparations for next year’s assembly elections in major states including Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu.