Kharge may fall as 'microscopic minority' in PAC: Most parties rule out calling CAG, AG

New Delhi, Dec 16 (UNI) Despite drawing a significant media mileage by its demand for Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and also that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should summon the CAG and Attorney General on high-profile Rafale deal, the Congress could find itself in minority as most other parties are not in favour of the same.
"To demand JPC without any discussion in Parliament is like jumping the gun," Bhartuhari Mahtab, a senior member of the Mallikarjun Kharge-chaired PAC, told UNI here.

He also said: "The 22-member panel first needs to finalise its agenda. Rafale is still not in the agenda of the PAC....However, the PAC chairman (Kharge) can call the Attorney General and the CAG in his personal capacity in his chamber, but such interactions and discussions cannot be regarded as part of the proceedings of the PAC or their views cannot be recorded either".

BJP alone has overwhelming majority with 12 members from both the Houses in the 22-member panel.

Lok Sabha has 15 members and there are seven members of Upper House in PAC. The Congress has only three members in the panel, including Mr Kharge, Bhubaneshwar Kalita and M V Rajeev Gowda.

According to sources in TDP, a new found ally of the Congress, the panel may call AG and the CAG only after the report was tabled in Parliament.

The role of PAC and especially its chairman Mr Kharge has come into focus ever since Congress President Rahul Gandhi had on Friday addressed a press conference stating that as parliamentary panel's presiding officer Mr Kharge himself did not know whether CAG report on Rafale deal has been tabled or not.

Mr Kharge on Saturday favoured summoning the two key officials the Attorney General, government's principal legal officer K K Venugopal and the CAG Rajiv Mehrishi on the related matters.

BJP's ally Akali Dal MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said he is not in favour of starting a fresh row and questioning the Supreme Court's order.

BJP's vocal member in the PAC, Anurag Thakur said the Supreme Court gave a "clean chit" to the government on the Rafale deal. "It is unfortunate that Congress and a seasoned politician like Mr Kharge is playing politics on such an issue which relates to national security and country's defence preparedness".

BJP sources said the PAC functions in "unity" and the "spirit of consensus".

No meeting of the PAC has been fixed yet, sources said.

"Even the conduct of PAC chairman - if not in tune with the rules - can be challenged. Earlier, BJP members had objected the manner the then chairman K V Thomas had tried to pursue the proceedings on demonetisation," a BJP source said.

"Mr Thomas's comments to the media against demonetisation without discussing the matter in the panel was not appreciated," said a source.