M A I N   N E W S

Manipur MLAs oppose Koijam as CM

New Delhi, May 26
The ruling NDA is in a quandary as the newly floated People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) legislators, owing allegiance mainly to the BJP, are strongly opposed to the imposition of President’s rule and the re-installation of Mr Radhabinod Koijam as Chief Minister.

At least 30 MLAs, currently in the Capital, are canvassing support from other constituents of the NDA to press the demand for a new government in the state. But the Samata Party is bent on the re-installation of Mr Koijam as Chief Minister or the imposition of President’s rule.

A delegation led by Manipur Assembly Speaker Dhanajay Singh held a meeting with Lok Janshakti Party President and Communication Minister Ram Bilas Paswan here today.

According to well-placed sources, the delegation pressed for a new Chief Minister in the Himalayan state. The delegation opposed the imposition of President’s rule as well as the restoration of Mr Koijam as Chief Minister.

The MLAs explained to Mr Paswan the prevailing political situation in the state after the defeat of the Samata Party-led Koijam government and urged him to impress upon the top leaders of the NDA that the political vacuum should be filled at the earliest by the installation of the R.K.Dorendra Singh-led PDA government.

Mr Paswan assured them that he would convey their sentiments to the top leadership of the NDA and felt that the imposition of President’s rule should be used as a last resort.

The PDA’s meeting with Mr Paswan comes as part of the efforts of the MLAs to muster support of NDA constituents for the formation of an alternative government.

The meeting came a day after the alliance MLAs held a series of discussions with BJP leaders Pyarelal Khandelwal, Madan Lal Khurana and Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Bijoya Chakraborty and JD(U) Chief and Union Minister Sharad Yadav.

The MLAs, who have been camping here for the past two days in their efforts to secure support of major political parties of the NDA, said they would also like to meet Shiv Sena leader and Union Minister Manohar Joshi and TDP leader Yerrannaidu. UNI, PTI

Warrants against Prabhakar

New Delhi, May 26
An Uttaranchal court has issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against tainted former cricketer Manoj Prabhakar for allegedly defrauding general public of crores of rupees, but he has not been arrested because of his absence from the Capital.

The NBWs, issued by a Haldwani (Nainital) court recently, were sent to the Delhi Police for execution. The Delhi Police, however, could not reportedly execute these as Mr Prabhakar is away in Jaipur to attend a ‘seminar’ and is likely to return to Delhi after two or three days.

The Nainital police had registered a case against him and two others in June last year for swindling public money through the Uttaranchal-based Apace Indian Group of Companies in his capacity as Director. However, the ex-cricketer denied the allegation, saying he was in no way linked to any of the companies of the group, but did join their promotion campaign as a cricketer.

Uttaranchal Director-General of Police A.K. Sharan said on the phone from Dehra Dun that the NBWs were issued last week after Mr Prabhakar failed to make himself available before the court to get his signature attested. UNI