Pranab to meet Oppn leaders on Monday

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to meet the leaders of the opposition parties again on Monday morning in his bid to break the impasse between the government and the opposition parties that has disrupted functioning of both houses of Parliament since the session began on November 9.

The opposition parties are demanding the setting up of a joint parliamentary committee to probe the 2G scam.

The apex court has questioned the prime minister's silence and inaction in the entire episode.

When contacted, D Raja of the Communist Party of India said

that he is not aware of any meeting being called by Pranab Mukherjee.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, senior leader of Bhartiya Janata Party, said if the government calls a meeting of the opposition parties then his party would attend the meeting. "It is a routine matter. What we will have to see is whether the government is willing accept the demand for a JPC or not," he said.

Sources in the Congress party said if the government has finally given in to the demand then the JPC could also be extended to other areas including Karnataka. The government could also offer to have the matter investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation under the Supreme Court's supervision.