M A I N   N E W S

 TDP, SAD too seek rollback

CALCUTTA, Oct 5 (PTI) — The Trinamool Congress (TC) today remained adamant not to withdraw resignations of its two ministers from the NDA government until a rollback of the petro price hike despite an appeal by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Two more NDA allies, the Telugu Desam and Akali Dal, today joined the Trinamool Congress in demanding reconsideration of the hike.

In New Delhi, the TDP Parliamentary Party leader, Mr K. Yerrannaidu, said his party, which is supporting the NDA government from outside, would write to the Prime Minister requesting a review of the decision.

Punjab Chief Minister and Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal said farmers were “burdened most” by the government decision.

Asked whether his party would seek review of the decision, he said, “I have said it several times.”

Earlier, Mr Vajpayee yesterday spoke to the TC chief and Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, and requested her to continue discharging her ministerial duty pending a decision on her demand for a rollback of the price hike after his knee surgery later this month.

Reacting to Mr Vajpayee’s suggestion that the issue could be kept on hold till his surgery, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Ajit Panja, who along with Ms Banerjee resigned from the ministry, said, “We will not rejoin until a rollback”.