Not allowed to greet CM, minister quits

Irked over not being allowed by officials to greet CM Mulayam Singh Yadav at the helipad in Agra, the state Minister for Food Processing and Political Pension Babu Lal resigned today. A stunned Mulayam told him: ‘‘Aap gusse main hain. Sab theek ho jayega (You seem angry. Everything will be all right.)’’

However, Babu Lal appeared to be in no mood to relent. ‘‘I was not allowed to greet the CM at the helipad on his arrival in Agra. The DM and city Magistrate told me that I will not be allowed there. This is an insult to any minister and I have resigned for my self-respect,’’ said Babu Lal who belongs to Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The Minister was so angry that he did not even inform Ajit Singh before resigning. Ajit Singh has asked his partymen in Lucknow to persuade him to withdraw his resignation. When asked, Babu Lal said: ‘‘I have resigned from the ministership for my own self-respect and will only reconsider the issue when the officials are removed.’’