Councillor Lal (Madhav Sharma) 1998-1999, 2000 Duration: EP: 68, 75 - 76, 80 - 81, 94, 102, 107, 170 SE: 2.4, 2.11 - 2.12, 2.16 - 2.17, 2.30, 2.38, 2.43, 3.30 Pravin Lal, or as he was commonly known Councillor Lal, was the chairman of Harchester Council planning committee. When building tycoon Jerry Block bought Harchester United Football Club in the summer of 1998, he set about starting his plans for a new modern stadium to replace the nearly century-old Addison Road home ground, and ultimately build a new housing estate on the left behind ground. To secure his bid, Jerry easily bribed a number of local councillors, with Lal being the sweetener at a cost of £50K. However, when Jerry is due to hand Biloo Kapur the payment in the Studs gents, he inadvertently drops the money through to youth teamer Billy O'Neill and has to come up with another fifty grand for Lal. Lal tells Jerry he could still do with something to make him feel more confident before ensuring the Addison Road planning permission goes through. He explains to Jerry how his son Hari is desperate to make it as a professional goalkeeper, and Jerry sets about planting Hari in the youth team. Frank Patcham is railroaded into putting Hari on the bench so his parents can see him, which annoys the other players who know Hari hasn't been chosen on merit. Hari feels bullied by the team and used by his father, and quits with Lal blaming racism at the club, putting his deal with Jerry in jeopardy. Jerry now resorts to publicly shaming Lal with the fans, over blocking their dream of a new stadium and forcing Jerry to consider selling up. Jerry next takes on Lal in the local elections, fielding Des Baker as his candidate for The Dragon Party, playing on how an ordinary bloke could connect more with the public than the corporate Lal. The DP does enough to scare Lal, coming within fifty votes of him, and threatening his livelihood with more of the same next time, Lal is forced to go ahead with Jerry's application. After he is forced to use club money to pay off his Wembley assassin, Jerry is facing fraud charges, and to escape the situation dredges up his original bribe with Lal to the police. Lal is outraged that Jerry has publicly linked him to a half-a-million pound bribe, and when Lal attacks him in his own home, uses further quick thinking to pin the Wembley shootings on Lal, which he is later ruled out of.