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PM cancels press meet

By Our Special Correspondent

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, being convinced by Uttar Pradesh BJP leaders to say a few words at a public function in Lucknow on Sunday. — Photo: Subir Roy

LUCKNOW Oct. 20. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, cancelled a press conference this morning and a meeting with the Bharatiya Janata Party workers in the afternoon following a throat problem on the concluding day of his two-day visit to the State.

The BJP dissidents, however, interpreted the cancellation of Mr. Vajpayee's programme differently. They had sought time to meet the Prime Minister on Saturday but their request had been turned down. They blamed the State leadership, particularly the Minister for Urban Development, for preventing them from calling on the Prime Minister and cancellation of his programme.

Mr. Vajpayee arrived at the Raj Bhavan as scheduled at 10.45 a.m. to address presspersons but said that his doctors had advised him against speaking because of the pain in his throat. Though he wanted to have a long talk with mediapersons, he was constrained by his doctors' advice, he said adding that he needed the cooperation of the reporters. He then left the venue. Mr. Vajpayee later went to the Aliganj Stadium to lay the foundation stone of a Regional Science City, two flyovers to be constructed in Mawaiya and Hussainganj and a centre to be developed along the pattern of the Delhi Hatt.

He did not speak on the occasion, citing his throat pain again. He merely expressed the hope that the new projects would go a long way in ensuring the development of Uttar Pradesh.

According to Mr. Vajpayee's scheduled programme, he was to address a meeting of the BJP workers in Nirala Nagar and release a book. But he left for Delhi after the foundation-laying ceremony.

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