Chennai:
From being a lawyer in rural Tamil Nadu to becoming the Telecom Minister, A Raja has come a long way, but with the Opposition demanding his ouster over 2G spectrum allotment, will he resign? No way, say DMK sources. The reason: Raja has emerged as the dalit face of the DMK, and enjoys a good rapport with his party chief Karunanidhi.
That's why, when Karunanidhi's grand nephew Dayanidhi Maran stepped down as IT Minister during UPA 1, Raja was the automatic choice to replace him. He retains the post in UPA 2 as well.
Raja has got embroiled in two major allegations - the spectrum scam, and his alleged telephone call to a Chennai High Court judge for a favourable order.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has indicted Raja in its report submitted to the government on the 2G spectrum allotment that have caused a loss of over Rs. 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
So far Karunanidhi has gone soft on him. The CBI that's probing the spectrum scam, recently raided offices of the Telecom department, but the DMK maintains Raja is targeted as he's a dalit, and the government is yet to act against Raja.
"Whose prerogative is it to have or not to have Raja in the Cabinet? Is it the PM's or Karunanidhi's? I'd put the blame on Manmohan Singh. While no one takes it seriously, why should Karunanidhi alone take is seriously?" questioned Cho Ramaswamy, Political Analyst.
That's why, when Karunanidhi's grand nephew Dayanidhi Maran stepped down as IT Minister during UPA 1, Raja was the automatic choice to replace him. He retains the post in UPA 2 as well.
Raja has got embroiled in two major allegations - the spectrum scam, and his alleged telephone call to a Chennai High Court judge for a favourable order.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has indicted Raja in its report submitted to the government on the 2G spectrum allotment that have caused a loss of over Rs. 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
So far Karunanidhi has gone soft on him. The CBI that's probing the spectrum scam, recently raided offices of the Telecom department, but the DMK maintains Raja is targeted as he's a dalit, and the government is yet to act against Raja.
"Whose prerogative is it to have or not to have Raja in the Cabinet? Is it the PM's or Karunanidhi's? I'd put the blame on Manmohan Singh. While no one takes it seriously, why should Karunanidhi alone take is seriously?" questioned Cho Ramaswamy, Political Analyst.
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