Amritsar, March 22: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is struggling to pacify the sulking MP from Tarn Taran, Prem Singh Lalpura, who has refused to quit his Assembly seat. His demand: A berth in the Atal Behari Vajpayee Cabinet and a ticket for his nominee in the Assembly byelection.The problem is not so simple. If he does not resign from his Assemly seat by Monday, he will not be able to take oath in Parliament. This cuould have grave ramifications as he will then not be able to vote on the Vajpayee government's confidence motion on March 27 in which one vote could make all the difference.
Alive to this, a battery of senior Akali Dal leaders and Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Union Minister of State for Industry today flew to Amritsar to placate Lalpura.
State Food and Supplies Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, who reached here by a special helicopter last evening, met Lalpura at his Tarn Taran residence and assured him that his demands would be accepted after the ChiefMinister returns from the United States.
Lalpura has demanded that the he being the senior most leader among SAD MPs, be made a Union Minister and the seat vacated by him be offered to Sikandar Singh, his confidant.
Sukhbir Badal and other Akali leaders today held a long meeting with Lalpura. Lalpura is reported to have told Sukhbir Badal that his father had promised a ministerial berth to him at the Centre.
If Badal could make a call from the USA to accommodate his son, why did not he do the same for him, Lalpura qeustioned Sukhbir.
Lalpura later left for Tarn Taran ``to consult his supporters.'' Even Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Surjit Singh Barnala -- who is in Amritsar to visit the Golden Temple -- could not contact Lalpura.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
