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Rediff.com  » News » CVC controversy: Advani supports Swaraj, slams UPA

CVC controversy: Advani supports Swaraj, slams UPA

Source: PTI
January 28, 2011 18:09 IST
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Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Friday supported his colleague Sushma Swaraj's stand against the appointment of Chief Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas, saying he could not have been chosen for the post as he had cases pending against him.

"This controversy started even when I was the Leader of the Opposition. I told them (government) that wherever this law (was applicable) -- that leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha should be there in the panel with the government -- they used to give only one name. I told them I will not accept unless you give a panel (of names)," Advani told reporters.

He maintained that in the case of Thomas's appointment as CVC, the government tried to do the same by insisting on his name despite zeroing in on a panel of three candidates.

"Sushma said that she will not accept his name as there is a case against him and the Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating it. How can we appoint him when a case is pending against him? She said I do not know the other two names you (government) have given but I have no objection if you accept any of the two," Advani said.

Swaraj had registered her dissent in writing to the appointment of Thomas as the CVC, as he was being investigated for his alleged complicity in the Palmolien import case.

She has insisted that she had informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram about the case against Thomas, but they maintained that he had been exonerated and insisted on his candidature.

Swaraj has said she will file an affidavit against the government in the Supreme Court as the United Progressive Alliance regime is 'misleading' the apex court on this issue.

The Supreme Court was on Thursday told by Attorney General G E Vahanvati that the committee which selected Thomas was not aware of the charges against him in the two-decade-old Palmolein oil import case.

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