With speculation rife about a UnionCabinet reshuffle, Union minister V Narayansamy today met DMKchief M Karunanidhi, a key ally of UPA.
This is the second time in a month that Minister of Statein PMO Narayanasamy has met the DMK patriarch, whose party isthe largest ally of Congress with 18 Lok Sabha members afterthe exit of Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.
It was not known what transpired during the meeting heldat Karunanidhi's CIT Colony residence. DMK sources said it wasa one-to-one meeting between the two leaders.
Naryanasamy had late last month met Karunanidhi as PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh's emissary during which he broachedthe issue of filling up two cabinet slots remaining vacantsince the resignation of DMK members A Raja and DayanidhiMaran over telecom scams.
However, Karunanidhi had later ruled out nominating partyrepresentatives to fill the vacancies.
Also, in an embarrassment to UPA, Karunanidhi had extendedhis party's support to the September 20 nation-wide bandhcalled by opposition parties against the Centre's decision toallow FDI in retail trade and increase the diesel price.
Today's meeting also assumes significance as it comes daysafter Narayanasamy had expressed confidence that the DMK whichis opposing FDI in multi-brand retail could be taken on boardby explaining the positives of the big ticket economicreforms.