Cong tries to cash in on BJP divide

In an attempt to create a wedge in the BJP, the Congress on Tuesday asked the main opposition party to seek PAC chairman Murli Manohar Joshi’s resignation or Sushma Swaraj should step down if there is any “mutual rivalry” between the two.

In an attempt to create a wedge in the BJP, the Congress on Tuesday asked the main opposition party to seek PAC chairman Murli Manohar Joshi’s resignation or Sushma Swaraj should step down if there is any “mutual rivalry” between the two.

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Swaraj and Joshi appear to have divergent views on the PAC versus JPC issue.

“Joshi is chairman of the PAC as a nominee of BJP. He had replaced Jaswant Singh who was removed from the party. “Now if Joshi does not listen to BJP, it should ask him to step down,” Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.

“If there is any mutual rivalry between the two leaders, it should ask Joshi to resign or Sushma Swaraj should herself step down,” he went on.

Insisting that it was an internal matter of BJP, the Congress, however, came out openly in defence of Joshi.

“Joshi is simply doing his constitutional duty. He is the Chairman of PAC and he is doing what he deems fit. There is no question of Congress depending on his help,” Ahmed said.

Swaraj and Joshi also differ on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s offer to appear before the PAC. While Swaraj said the PAC could not call even a minister, much less the Prime Minister, Joshi maintained that the PAC would take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time after going through rules and procedures and in accordance with them.