Media sensationalising Lalu, DMK absence from cabinet meeting: PM

Chennai, May 9 (Inditop) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday said that the media was “sensationalising” the absence of UPA partners – Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan and DMK leaders from Friday’s cabinet meeting.

Asked to comment on the absence of the ministers from a cabinet meeting, Manmohan Singh said: “Media sometimes is interested in sensationalism of even trivial issues.

“Ministers have prior responsibilities – meetings are called at short notice. (union Home Minister P.) Chidambaram could not come because of his preoccupation here, Mani Shankar Aiyar was also not there…”

The brief cabinet meeting, described as an administrative exercise, was perhaps the last of the present United Progressive Alliance-led government and also the most thinly attended. Along with Railway Minister Prasad and Steel Minister Paswan, ministers from the the DMK and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar did not attend.