DMK parliamentarians disappointed
Some DMK parliamentarians appear openly disappointed that they could not make it to the list of new ministers when the reshuffle happened in the UPA Cabinet on Sunday. Party president M. Karunanidhi had taken the stand that his party would not stake claim to the two vacancies caused by the quitting of Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja.
While he seemed to take a moralistic, and principled, stand on this issue, some party seniors insist that thalaivar was miffed at the Congress high command not granting his demand for a Cabinet berth to daughter Kanimozhi, a member of the Rajya Sabha. After she walked out of Tihar jail end of last November after long incarceration in the 2G scam, the dad faced intense pressure from within a section of his family that she must be made a minister at the Centre ‘as a reward for her sacrifice’.
Party sources said that the Congress high command did not grant his request for Cabinet berth for Kanimozhi because of her alleged links in 2G scam. Following this, Karunanidhi took the stand that the DMK would not stake claim to the chairs vacated by Maran and Raja. Also, he was so upset with the Congress leadership for not helping him out in the 2G case that he decided to keep the DMK out of any UPA Government reshuffles.
“The Congress leadership was keen on inducting a few DMK seniors, like former minister T R Baalu. Thalaivar would not relent. Also, he was hoping that the Congress would help when Kanimozhi filed her petition in the Delhi high court seeking discharge in the 2G case. This case has been adjourned for about three months and is likely to come up end of next January”, said a DMK senior, adding that the adjournment for three months “is rather too long”.
The only DMK presence in the Sunday rejig turned out to be Jagathratchagan, who has being moved out from his MoS post in the I&B Ministry to a less important portfolio.
“Getting a couple of berths now in the UPA government is not our priority”, he said, “Thalaivar is going through serious problems within his family. And we need to look at other options for the 2014 Parliament poll”.
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