I’ve been wronged: Maran

After resigning, Dayanidhi Maran says 'someone' has misled party chief M Karunanidhi, reports GC Shekhar.

A day after he resigned as a central minister following the DMK’s decision to recall him, Dayanidhi Maran on Monday said “someone” had misled party chief M Karunanidhi.

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Smiling as ever and losing none of his cheer, Maran presented the picture of a performer who had been misjudged. And yet, he asserted that he will always be loyal to the DMK and Karunanidhi.

“I feel sad that my leader has suspected me. Losing the ministry is not an issue at all. Someone has exploited the situation and misled him with misinformation,” Maran told reporters at his Gopalapuram residence, a stone’s throw from Karunanidhi’s official residence. But the former IT and communications minister did not give any names.

Maran said he had not been given an opportunity to explain his position neither had the party given him the exact reasons for his recall.

“I would meet my leader (Karunanidhi) and explain my position,” he said, indicating that unlike Vaiko and others who were expelled earlier, he did not want to antagonise the DMK chief, also his granduncle.

He refuted a suggestion that he attempted to dislodge Karunanidhi’s son Stalin.

On his performance, Maran underlined that he had got Rs 226,000 crore worth of investments for the country — out of which Rs 46,000 crore came to Tamil Nadu.

When asked if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were upset about his exit, he said: “Yes they were.” But he added that there were better ministers under Singh, “who was the best”. He also said that like the One India plan in BSNL he was about to announce a mobile network free of roaming charges throughout the country on Karunanidhi’s birthday — on June 3.

Maran said he would not even dream of ever betraying his party or leader. “Even if they expel me, I’ll die a DMK sympathiser,” he said. “I would remain just the MP of central Chennai,” he asserted. And if he was asked to quit that — “I would be an ordinary member of the party.”

Raja may replace Maran

A Raja, Union Environment Minister is tipped to take over as the Communications and IT Minister. The Dalit minister is close to Karunanidhi and is considered an efficient but quiet performer. His post will be filled by MoS Finance Palanimanickam, with a promotion as Cabinet Minister. In turn KPK Kumaran, DMK's Rajya Sabha MP will be the new MoS, according to DMK sources. An MoS for senior DMK MP C. Kuppusamy has also been suggested in the communication carried by DMK Treasurer Arcot Veerasamy to Sonia and Manmohan Singh, the sources said.