Now, SP wants Raja's deposition before JPC

Mulayam is understood to have conveyed his views to the Congress leadership, saying that without calling Raja the report will be 'one-sided'

In further trouble for Congress in the JPC, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh has made it clear that his party will not support the draft report on 2G scam unless former Telecom Minister A Raja is allowed to depose before it.

The 30-member Committee already has 15 members who are opposed to the draft report and are demanding removal of its chief P C Chacko. They have also been demanding that Raja be allowed to depose to present his case.

Yadav is understood to have conveyed his views to the Congress leadership, saying that without calling Raja the report will be "one-sided", sources said.

Chacko has so far ruled out calling Raja, saying his written submission is as good as his deposition.

If SP's one member in JPC sides with the Opposition, the ruling party will be left with support of only 14 members, including Chacko and two from BSP.

The Congress, however, is still hesitant to allow Raja to depose personally as it fears that he would say that he had done everything in consultation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, leading to further demands for their deposition, sources said.

Amidst this, the date for convening the much-anticipated meeting of JPC to adopt the report on 2G scam remains uncertain.

The JPC meeting was earlier likely to be called on May 2 or 3.

Chacko said this morning that he would decide in the evening on convening the meeting. However, later Congress leadership is understood to have told him to do so only after Parliament clears the financial bills as Congress wants to avoid a showdown with Opposition before that.

There were reports that Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had indicated disinclination to remove P C Chacko as JPC Chairman even though Opposition members of the Committee have remained steadfast in demanding his ouster and re-writing of the draft report.