Is Raja defying Manmohan Singh? No, says DoT

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) today said that the Full Telecom Commission Meeting is scheduled to be held on July 7, 2010 to consider the recommendations of the Pitroda Committee with regards to the restructuring of BSNL.

The department made this statement in response to a report in The Financial Express today that A.Raja seems to be defying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by keeping silent on the suggestions made by the special committee set up by him in choosing the successor for BSNL chairman and managing director Kuldeep Goyal, who is retiring soon.

Denying the report that several candidates were interviewed on June 8, but no clarity has emerged, DoT said that no interviews were held for the post of CMD, as reported by the newspaper.

The Prime Minister had constituted a committee headed by his advisor Sam Pitroda to suggest ways to revive the state-run telecom firm which is in dire financial situation.

In the recent times Raja had been in many controversies and he was even accused of causing lose to the exchequer. CBI is investigating the allegations of corruption in the 2G spectrum allocation.

Meanwhile, an NDTV report said that the Congress party's senior leadership is discussing a major cabinet reshuffle, and it could see A Raja dropped as Telecom Minister.