PM indisposed, reply put off

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 19. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, has taken ill and has been advised rest, the Lok Sabha was informed today shortly before he was to have replied to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address to Parliament.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, said Mr. Vajpayee had infection in his respiratory system, besides a sore throat, and requested that his reply be put off till next week. He suggested April 24, but the Samajwadi Party leader, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, preferred April 25 to which the House agreed. The Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi's speech which was to have preceded the Prime Minister's reply was also put off till April 25. The debate on the motion of thanks was completed on Tuesday and Ms. Sonia Gandhi's speech was awaited in political circles with a sense of anticipation.

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