NEWDELHI: THE CBI raids in former Telecom Minister A Raja’s residences in Delhi and Chennai, has put his party DMK in a classic Catch-22 situation. It neither can disown Raja, nor can wholeheartedly own him.
The DMK spokesperson, T K S Elangovan, seemingly backed Raja and described him as ‘our party MP’. But it was certainly not an unconditional support.
For he was careful to add that ‘the CBI was doing its duty’ and ‘Let them come out with the findings-we will see.’
In other words, the DMK kept it’s options open. If incrimination documents are found against Raja and he becomes too much of a liability, the DMK could shed him off before the crucial Assembly elections.
The DMK also made it clear that Wednesday’s CBI raids on Raja would not have an impact on its alliance with the Congress either in the Centre or in Tamil Nadu which goes to polls any time between April and May.
However, reiterating the point that T R Baalu made earlier in the day, DMK MP K P Ramalingam told Express, “Our party have gone through much, we are not afraid. We’ll take everything in our stride, besides we’re not obstructing the course of law. The truth will definitely come out.”
Interestingly, another UPA ally, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee gave a similar statement, “We are not insisting on a JPC, we’ll go by the government’s decision. But the truth should come out.”
The TC which will have to face elections in West Bengal around the same time as Tamil Nadu, wants to ensure that the UPA Government is seen to be acting against the corrupt by allowing an impartial inquiry into the 2G spectrum scam. So that it’s able to take on the Left Front on the issue.
Not quite hiding his party’s displeasure, a senior DMK leader retorted, “It’ll be better if the allies keep within their limits. Our stand is clear and consistent if anything is found (against Raja), we’ll take action.”
But, DMK patriarch, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karuninidhi, might find it difficult to take action against Raja without his own family getting embroiled in the scam. Raja, sources here pointed out, has managed to entangle M K Kanimozhi in the 2G affair.
