Advise Lalu not to insist on joint meeting: DPA to PM

Chennai, Mar 22: A delegation of DMK-led DPA MPs from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to advise Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav not to insist on the joint meeting of Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the newly formed Salem Railway Division.

In a memorandum to the Prime Minister, a copy of which was released to the press here tonight on the newly formed Salem Division by bifurcating the erstwhile Palghat Division, they said the bifurcation would not affect the viability of Palghat in terms of earnings and that the interests of the existing staff and offices would continue to function.

The apprehension that the Palghat Division after bifurcation will be affected is not substantiated with facts, they said and added that the Railway Board and the Ministry had taken utmost care to protect the interest of both the states while issuing the bifurcation orders.

On the representation of the Kerala government and the Railway Minister's suggestion to have a joint meeting to sort out the issues, the MPs pointed out that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunandihi had replied to Mr Lalu Yadav that there was no need to have such a meeting since the bifurcation had not affected the interests of the Palghat Division.

While issuing the bifurcation orders, Mr Lalu Yadav had taken utmost care to protect the interests of both the states, they said and added that there was no justification for altering the areas of both the divisions as requested by the Kerala government and their MPs as neither Tamil Nadu nor Kerala were affected.

''The decision was taken by the Railway board considering the administrative and operational efficiency of the divisions'', they added.

UNI