- News>
- India
Laloo`s bid for home ministry rejected
New Delhi, May 20: Even before he could take oath as the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh is facing his first political test. Laloo is playing truant after his demand for home ministry was rejected by the Congress.
New Delhi, May 20: Even before he could take oath as the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh is facing his first political test. Laloo is playing truant after his demand for home ministry was rejected by the Congress.
The RJD, apparently indulging in blackmail, on Thursday linked participation in the Manmohan Singh-led coalition government to an economic package for Bihar, a move that prompted senior Congress leaders to rushing to mollify its chief Laloo Prasad Yadav.
At a two-hour meeting of the RJD Parliamentary Party, MPs insisted that the Congress-led government should promise that it would give Bihar its due following the bifurcation of the state and unless such an assurance was given, RJD would not take part in the government, senior party MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters.
As the meeting failed to arrive at a consensus on whether to join the government, it once again authorised their leader to take a decision on the matter.
Soon after the meeting, Laloo's aides spread the news that the RJD supremo was suddenly leaving for Patna.
Soon senior Congress leader Arjun Singh sent his emissary who was denied an audience by a reluctant Laloo. Then Singh himself drove to Laloo's residence and he was soon joined by another senior Congress leader R K Dhawan.
As the duo were closeted with Laloo, word came that Congress President Sonia Gandhi wanted to have a telephonic talk with the Bihar leader over the matter.
After emerging from the meeting, Arjun Singh denied that differences had cropped up between the two parties over power sharing at the Centre. "He (Yadav) is one of our oldest allies and there was no confusion between the two parties."
Singh, who was flanked by Dhawan, said he was hopeful that RJD would be part of the government.
Asked if RJD's participation in the government had hit a roadblock over the issue of sharing key ministerial berths, he said "this is not an issue at all. We never discussed this." x"He (Yadav) never ever sought ministries. The topic did not come up even during this meeting," Singh added
However, Yadav, who later left for Patna, said Bihar's development was more dear to his heart than Cabinet berths and maintained the Centre's commitment towards the state's uplift should be reflected in its actions.
"We held intense deliberations in the Parliamentary Party meeting. We discussed the discrimination against Bihar over the years," he said.
Denying that he was leaving Delhi as he was "upset", he said "I am going to Patna for wider consultations with party legislators and Chief Minister Rabri Devi."
Asserting that he had no lust for power, Yadav said "I make ministers and Prime Ministers. Ask Sonia Gandhi or any other Congress leader whether I have demanded any portfolio. My objective is prosperous Bihar."
Yadav scotched rumours that he was eyeing for the Home Minister's post.
To a question, he said his options were still open on the issue of joining the government and added he would definitely attend Manmohan Singh's swearing-in.
Bureau Report
At a two-hour meeting of the RJD Parliamentary Party, MPs insisted that the Congress-led government should promise that it would give Bihar its due following the bifurcation of the state and unless such an assurance was given, RJD would not take part in the government, senior party MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters.
As the meeting failed to arrive at a consensus on whether to join the government, it once again authorised their leader to take a decision on the matter.
Soon after the meeting, Laloo's aides spread the news that the RJD supremo was suddenly leaving for Patna.
Soon senior Congress leader Arjun Singh sent his emissary who was denied an audience by a reluctant Laloo. Then Singh himself drove to Laloo's residence and he was soon joined by another senior Congress leader R K Dhawan.
As the duo were closeted with Laloo, word came that Congress President Sonia Gandhi wanted to have a telephonic talk with the Bihar leader over the matter.
After emerging from the meeting, Arjun Singh denied that differences had cropped up between the two parties over power sharing at the Centre. "He (Yadav) is one of our oldest allies and there was no confusion between the two parties."
Singh, who was flanked by Dhawan, said he was hopeful that RJD would be part of the government.
Asked if RJD's participation in the government had hit a roadblock over the issue of sharing key ministerial berths, he said "this is not an issue at all. We never discussed this." x"He (Yadav) never ever sought ministries. The topic did not come up even during this meeting," Singh added
However, Yadav, who later left for Patna, said Bihar's development was more dear to his heart than Cabinet berths and maintained the Centre's commitment towards the state's uplift should be reflected in its actions.
"We held intense deliberations in the Parliamentary Party meeting. We discussed the discrimination against Bihar over the years," he said.
Denying that he was leaving Delhi as he was "upset", he said "I am going to Patna for wider consultations with party legislators and Chief Minister Rabri Devi."
Asserting that he had no lust for power, Yadav said "I make ministers and Prime Ministers. Ask Sonia Gandhi or any other Congress leader whether I have demanded any portfolio. My objective is prosperous Bihar."
Yadav scotched rumours that he was eyeing for the Home Minister's post.
To a question, he said his options were still open on the issue of joining the government and added he would definitely attend Manmohan Singh's swearing-in.
Bureau Report