New Delhi, Nov. 2: A confidential letter written by M.M. Joshi to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in December 2007 reveals the BJP veteran was opposed to auction of spectrum, though he has targeted the Centre for following the same policy ever since the 2G scandal broke.

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi, who read out parts of the letter before the media today, said: “It is surprising the BJP says something else while a senior leader of the party, who currently heads PAC examining the 2G issue, had said something else earlier.”

Joshi, who as chairperson of Parliament’s public accounts committee has become the pivotal figure in the anti-government 2G tirade, felt that auctioning spectrum would harm the interests of public-sector telecom companies.

The Congress and former telecom minister A. Raja have been saying that the NDA regime’s first-come-first-served policy was followed in allocating spectrum. Joshi’s letter indicates the BJP was opposed to the auction route till as late as 2007, a line aggressively pursued by Raja.

The letter says: “Some operators have suggested that spectrum should be auctioned, which means that there could be a case of hoarding and cartelization to the detriment of MTNL and BSNL. The issue was also raised in Parliament where a number of MPs demanded enquiry into the whole matter of grabbing the spectrum by few monopolistic companies.”

Joshi has built his argument on the premise that the government’s policy should be aimed at increasing tele-density in rural areas instead of aspiring for high profits. This is also the backbone of Raja’s defence in the courts, as he too claims there is no question of loss when the policy did not call for auction.

Raja’s successor Kapil Sibal had echoed the same sentiment, triggering ridicule and scorn from all quarters, particularly the BJP.

The controversy on the 2G note prepared by the government, which set off a clash between Pranab Mukherjee and P. Chidambaram, also became explosive on the auction issue.

The note suggested that Chidambaram, as then finance minister, did not stick to his initial stand in favour of auction of spectrum. There is no quid pro quo established in connection with Chidambaram, and the case against him rests on his inability to ensure auction.

The BJP has, in the recent past, attacked the government and the Prime Minister on many occasions for not making Raja adopt the auction route. Even Joshi’s PAC report, which could not be adopted because of a rift in the committee, said: “The Prime Minister was misled when he was informed by Raja that the issue of auction of spectrum was considered but not recommended by the Telecom Commission and also not recommended by TRAI….. The minister was saying half truth, concealing the other half, concealing his ulterior design.”

The Congress, too, has been repeatedly asking the BJP why spectrum was not auctioned in 2001 and when cellular licences were given, why spectrum was not auctioned separately.

The Congress has conceded that Raja might have committed illegalities in executing the policy but has confronted the BJP’s ploy to drag the Prime Minister in because he could not force auction. Joshi’s letter might give the Congress some ammunition to attack the BJP.

Joshi refused comment, saying he would hold a news conference tomorrow.