Author: PTI
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 8, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/174764/Lalu-Paswan-to-skip-Union-cabinet-meeting.html
Union Ministers Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas
Paswan are skipping the cabinet meeting here on Friday in an apparent disapproval
of what they see as overtures made by Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi
to their rival in Bihar Nitish Kumar.
While key aides of the RJD and LJP chiefs
downplayed the issue, there was speculation in political circles that they
were unhappy over the way the Congress appears to be reaching out to the JD(U).
Asked whether Paswan is not attending the
meeting because he was unhappy over Gandhi's remarks, LJP secretary general
Abdul Khalik told PTI, "there is no question of boycotting the cabinet
meeting. We are still in UPA and in the cabinet."
"Paswan cannot attend the cabinet meeting
today as his election meetings were scheduled in Kolkata where four party
candidates are contesting in the last phase of polls. Moreover, there was
no agenda from our ministries (Paswan's) in the cabinet meeting," he
added.
He, however, acknowledged that there is unhappiness
in the rank and file of LJP over Rahul's remarks adding, "His statement
during elections only benefitted JD(U)."
Moreover, Congress candidates in Patna Sahib
and Nalanda got their votes transferred to JD(U) candidates after Gandhi's
remarks, Khalik claimed.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi this
week, Gandhi had praised the Bihar Chief Minister for his work.
Congress media department Chairman M.Veerappa
Moily downplayed the development underlining that the cabinet meeting was
a "routine one" and not for demonstration of solidarity of UPA members.
"It is too far fetched. We should not
draw adverse inference out of imagination," he said adding that the two
leaders were part of the UPA Government.
Earlier in Patna, the RJD President's private
secretary Bhola Yadav said,"...Railway minister is not going to Delhi
to attend the cabinet meeting."
He, however, added that the minister had not
attended several cabinet meetings in the past as well and "the media
is just playing up the issue."
