Chaudhary Charan Singh was the father of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh. With three MPs in the Lok Sabha, the RLD chief is being wooed assiduously by both the Congress and the Left parties. Ajit Singh has said he is for the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement.
However, despite his statement, CPI leader AB Bardhan called on him today to impress upon him the need to oppose the UPA government and its pro-US tilt. Singh was reportedly noncommittal.
Briefing reporters after the meeting of the Cabinet , Finance Minister P Chidambaram said: "This decision (to rename the airport) will honour the sentiments of the people. It will also be a befitting tribute to the late prime minister."
Chaudhary Charan Singh was one of the architects of the Janata Party in the run-up to the Emergency but collaborated with Indira Gandhi to topple the Janata Party government in 1979.
When asked if the renaming of the airport was in response to the demand of certain political parties in Uttar Pradesh, Chidambaram said: "It will ensure smooth takeoff and landing".
More From This Section
He added the demand has been pending for a long time. "It must have been made by previous state governments. I would not know when the demand was first made".
The Cabinet also reviewed the implementation of the prime minister's new 15-point programme for minorities. "The Cabinet periodically reviews the programme. The prime minister was satisfied with the outcome of the programme and called for speedy implementation," Chidambaram added.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it had received requests in the past from Uttar Pradesh for naming of Lucknow Airport as "Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport, Lucknow".