Buckling under pressure from Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress on the multi-crore dal supply scam under the mid-day meal scheme and Supplementary Nutritional Programme (SNP), Orissa women and child development minister Pramila Mallick resigned from her post on Saturday.
“I was waiting for the vigilance report. The vigilance gave its report yesterday. It has no mention about my involvement. I hope my resignation will not put a stop to the Opposition’s allegation,” Ms Mallick said.
The BJP and the Congress had made the dal scam a major political issue and baying for the heads of the WCD minister and chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
In fact, the issue was raised last week by BJP stalwart Bijoy Mohapatra.
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Chiru to meet Sonia today
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi
Feb. 5: As a follow-up to the meeting that senior Congress leader and Union defence minister A.K. Antony had with PRP leader Chiranjeevi a few days ago, the Telugu matinee idol is all set to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday. The PRP president, who arrived in the national capital on Saturday evening, told reporters, “I am here to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. I am here at her invitation. We will hold discussions on various issues.”
The superstar said, “Let me see what proposals Sonia Gandhi puts before me. Then I will decide and say what I have to.” He also added that he will be able to decide on the question of joining the Cabinet of chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy only after his talks with Mrs Gandhi.