Pallam Raju skips Cabinet meeting

Presence of Raju at CABE meeting on October 10 remains uncertain

HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju, who has tendered his resignation over the Telangana issue, today skipped the Union Cabinet meeting.

Raju along with three other Union Ministers from Seemandhra region had yesterday met Prime Minister Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting him to accept their resignations but got no assurance.

The Minister has stayed away from his office ever since he stepped down last week. He had also skipped official engagements including a meet with the principals of autonomous colleges yesterday.

His close aides were unsure whether he would attend a programme at Rashtrapati Bhawan tomorrow where the President would confer awards on Tamil scholars.

The presence of Raju at the crucial Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) meeting here on October 10 is also mired in uncertainty.

CABE, the highest decision making body on education in the country, is chaired by the HRD Minister, with state education ministers, academicians and other experts as members.

The meeting is expected to deliberate on a crucial report on national mission on teachers and teaching and an update on the mid-day meal programme.

Sources said Raju's absence could hamper the meeting from arriving at any concrete proposals on these issues.

Officials in the Ministry, however, did not rule out the possibility of one of the ministers of state -- Jitin Prasada and Shashi Tharoor -- chairing the meeting.