New Delhi: Jaswant Singh, who has defied
the BJP`s advice to quit the Chairmanship of the Public
Accounts Committee following his expulsion from the party, has
convened its first meeting on September 7.
There has been no immediate reaction from the BJP, but
former Finance Minister and party leader Yashwant Sinha would
not be attending the meeting.
Sinha said that he would not be attending the meeting
as he is on a visit to his Hazaribagh constituency in
Jharkhand. "I am on a tour of my constituency and will be in
Jharkhand for sometime and will not be able to attend the
meeting."
He said he was not aware of any strategy the party
might have formed on the issue.
Another prominent BJP leader, who is a member of the
prestigious committee is former Maharashtra deputy chief
minister Gopinath Munde.
Jaswant Singh has already rejected the BJP`s demand to
step down as Chairman, saying a decision on this can be taken
only by the Lok Sabha Speaker and not by the party.
"I am not (going to resign). This cannot be a decision
that the party can take because the determination of the post
and the decision is that of the Lok Sabha Speaker and not of a
political party," he said.
Singh, being the senior-most of the three BJP MPs
nominated to the PAC from the party, was appointed the
Chairman of the committee, days before he was expelled.
Bureau Report
