The Orissa Legislative Assembly, which had returned to normalcy a few days back following the assurance by the ruling BJD that the “controversial” Vedanta University land acquisition deal would be taken up for discussion, — once again plunged into turmoil on Friday as the Opposition reiterated its demand for early return of acquired land to their original owners. The Congress and BJP, the two major Opposition parties in the House, created ruckus over the issue of the land acquisition for the `15,000-crore Vedanta University project at Puri, making it difficult for the revenue and disaster management minister Surya Narayan Patro to reply to an adjournment motion.
***
‘Didn’t talk to scribe about Cabinet berths’
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi
Dec. 3: Clearing air over his name reportedly figuring in the leaked taped telephone conversation between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and journalists, senior Congress leader and Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday said, he had not talked to any scribe on the issue of Cabinet formation.
Mr Azad categorically rejected the reported suggestion that he had spoke to journalists about the inclusion of Member of Parliaments from Tamil Nadu in the Union Cabinet during government formation.
Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said, neither Barkha Dutt of NDTV nor any newspaper ever asked him “who was becoming minister from Tamil Nadu”.
In their conversation in the leaked tapes, Ms Radia is heard asking Ms Dutt to talk to Mr Azad, who is also the Congress in-charge of Tamil Nadu, and ask him about the specific portfolios being allotted to the Members of Parliament from DMK quota.