BJP has defended party leader Dr.Murli Manohar Joshi against allegations by NRI businessman Anshuman Mishra that he sought to meet officials of companies involved in 2G spectrum scam. Dismissing the charges as false and baseless, BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay claimed that those who are in the forefront of demanding action in corruption cases are now being targeted because of ulterior motives.

Congress, however, said allegations made by NRI businessman Anshuman Mishra against Murli Manohar Joshi needed to be looked into by a Parliamentary set-up or outside. Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in New Delhi today that the allegations are in public domain and certainly deserve to be looked into.

Mishra, who withdrew his candidature for the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand after BJP dropped its support to him, claimed to have introduced Chairman of Public Accounts Committee Murli Manahar Joshi to senior executives of 2G scam accused companies when the panel was probing the spectrum case. The NRI businessman has claimed that he was the BJP's fund-raiser for over a decade and said that Joshi called him seeking funds for elections. Mishra also claimed to have played a role in Joshi's poll campaign in 2004 and 2009.