Congress-DMK ties strain further

With Kanimozhi denied bail and the Centre indicating its restlessness in Dayanidhi Maran’s continuation as minister, the DMK-Congress relations strained further on Wednesday.

With Kanimozhi denied bail and the Centre indicating its restlessness in Dayanidhi Maran’s continuation as minister, the DMK-Congress relations strained further on Wednesday.

HT Image

The DMK has called an emergency meeting in Chennai on June 10 to chalk out the future strategy on Kanimozhi and its relations with the Congress. The meeting will also discuss threadbare the allegations of pay-offs against textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran in the 2G scam.

The DMK leadership has so far maintained silence on Maran. “Maran will face the charges himself,” Karunanidhi had said. This is in stark contrast to the stand taken by the party in the case of A Raja.

DMK leaders, however, are not surprised. While Raja and Kanimozhi worked for the DMK, sources said, Maran charted out his own course, and helped his brother Kalanidhi more than the party.

Congress managers are of the view that Maran’s “continuance in the Cabinet has become untenable” with the JPC set to question him and the CBI focusing on his role as the telecom minister during 2004-2007.

The party wants the DMK to take a “judgement call” on Maran and avoid “further embarrassment” to the Centre.

But the DMK appears divided on the issue of snapping the ties with the Congress. Some leaders are of the opinion that taking ‘any decision in haste’ will not be in the DMK’s interests given the party rout in the recent assembly polls.