Putting Congress in a fix, two key UPA allies, NCP and the National Conference, today opposed Centre's decision to appoint a judge by May 16 to probe 'Snoopgate' allegedly involving Narendra Modi, saying such an action in Government's "dying hours" is wrong.
Sharad Pawar, who heads the second-largest member of the Congress-led coalition government, called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and expressed his opposition to appointment of a judge at this juncture to probe the issue.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose National Conference also participates in the government, tweeted, "Was talking to my dad last night & he felt the same way - setting up a commission of inquiry in the dying hours of UPA 2 is just wrong".
Modi came in the line of fire after it was alleged that illegal surveillance was carried out on a young woman in Gujarat in 2009 at his behest as Gujarat Chief Minister, as also Amit Shah, who was then the state's Home Minister.
Government announced on Friday that a judge would be appointed by May 16 to probe the issue, drawing the ire of the BJP.
Notwithstanding the opposition by NCP and NC, Congress made it clear that the judge will be appointed, asserting that there will be "no compromise" as the issue involved women of the country.
BJP today welcomed the stand taken by the two UPA allies, saying even coalition partners are refusing to be part of Congress's "politics of vendetta".
"It shows that UPA allies have found sense. They are seeing the truth. This is the politics of vendetta which is the speciality of Congress. Political parties do not want to get involved in it," BJP national spokesperson M J Akbar told reporters here.
Union Minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel told PTI, "When the results of the Lok Sabha elections are due in two weeks' time, where is the need for such an enquiry.
