The second round of raids by the CBI teams probing the spectrum scam, coming exactly a week after the first string of “searches” in the premises of former Union communication minister A. Raja and his close associates in Tamil Nadu and Delhi, has rattled the ruling DMK here.
If the first round of raids had inspired heated debate within the party circles whether the Congress, its senior partner in the UPA, deliberately unleashed the CBI to gain advantage in the seat-sharing talks for the state elections early next year, the present bout of “aggression” made many wonder whether the alliance itself is collapsing.
For the record, however, there is heavy silence over the raids except for an archaic statement from chief minister M. Karunanidhi a few days back that he continued to view Mr Raja as innocent but would not hesitate to crack the whip if the probe found him guilty.
The Congress in Tamil Nadu has long been a divided house but now on this issue of spectrum raids, there seems to be a united voice that carrying on with the DMK could be embarrassing during the poll campaign. Sources say that only the little camp of home minister P. Chidambaram is still keen on continuing with the DMK. “Majority of Congressmen, from the grass root level upwards, are for snapping ties with the DMK but we will abide by the high command decision,” said a party senior, who did not want to be named.
Former Union minister E.V.K.S. Elangovan does not mind being named. “This spectrum probe against the DMK has caused huge embarrassment for the Congress. I strongly feel that the CBI raids in Tamil Nadu must be stepped up. I shall appeal to my party high command to snap the DMK alliance as otherwise, it would be difficult for us Congressmen to go before the people for votes,” he told this newspaper.
Political analyst Cho Ramaswamy agrees with Mr Elangovan. “This is the best time for the Congress to ditch the DMK and go to the voters with cleaner hands. But I am not sure whether the Congress will do so since there is a spectrum of suspicion about that party as well. Unless it snaps ties with the DMK, this cloud will continue to hover over the Congress,” says Mr Ramaswamy.