Mallikarjun Kharge set to become next PAC Chairman

PAC post will make Kharge entitled for Cabinet rank and an office at Parliament House, sources said

The Congress's floor leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge is all set to become the next chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Kharge will succeed his party colleague K V Thomas, who will complete his third term as Chairman of Public Accounts Committee on April 30.

According to sources, the Congress leadership had on Monday written to the Lok Sabha Speaker recommending Kharge's name for the PAC chairmanship.

The chair of the PAC is given to an MP of the main Opposition party.

Sources claimed that Kharge was keen on the post as despite being the Congress floor leader in Lok Sabha, he has not been recognised as Leader of Opposition.

The PAC post will make him entitled for a Cabinet rank and an office at the Parliament House, they said.

Meanwhile, Thomas had recently raked a controversy by claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be called to appear before the panel, which was sharply opposed by BJP MPs led by Nishikant Dubey.

Dubey had even written to the Lok Sabha Speaker demanding privilege motion against the Congress leader.

PAC, a committee of selected members of Parliament, is constituted by the Parliament for auditing of the revenue and expenditure of the government.

It is reconstituted every year with a strength of not more than 22 members, of which 15 are from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha.