DMK’s Alagiri gives cabinet meet a miss

Chemicals and fertiliser minister MK Alagiri, DMK’s lone representative in the Union Cabinet, skipped its crucial meet that okayed proposals to hike foreign investment ceiling in the insurance and pension sectors.

Chemicals and fertiliser minister MK Alagiri, DMK’s lone representative in the Union Cabinet, skipped its crucial meet that okayed proposals to hike foreign investment ceiling in the insurance and pension sectors.

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Alagiri took the PM’s permission, ostensibly to be present at an international meet on chemicals and petrochemicals industry in Mumbai, which was inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee.

But he is understood to have forwarded to the PMO a resolution of DMK executive body along with a statement by party chief and father M Karunanidhi opposing the FDI. Karunanidhi had wanted a review of the decision on FDI, saying “allowing it in the name of reforms will spell doom for developing countries like India.”

Alagiri had earlier written to the PM, opposing the move to hike the price of urea in the interest of farmers. But finance minister P Chidambaram wrote to Alagiri, asking his ministry to hike urea price and work out a plan for direct cash transfer of fertiliser subsidy to farmers.