DMK strikes poll deal with PMK, gives 31 seats

Ending a month-long uncertainty, the DMK and PMK on Friday clinched an alliance for the coming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls under which the ruling party's junior partner has been allotted 31 Assembly seats. The deal was finalized at a meeting between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunani
dhi and PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss here on a day when the DMK first family-owned Kalaignar TV was raided by CBI over the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Karunanidhi, announcing the accord at the end of the nearly 90 minute meeting with his former ally said the two parties had decided to fight the elections jointly.

A beaming Ramadoss said his party had been allotted 31 seats and also a Rajya Sabha seat.

He exuded confidence that the DMK-led alliance which also has Congress in it, would "sweep" the polls.

The poll-talks between the DMK and PMK had come to an abrupt end with Congress President Sonia Gandhi reportedly expressing her reservations over the presence of Ramdoss-led party in the alliance during her recent meeting with Karunanidhi in New Delhi.

As a damage control excercise, former Union Health Minister and Ramadoss' son, Dr R Anbumani, called on Gandhi at Delhi yesterday when she reportedly gave her nod for admitting PMK into the DMK-Congress combine.

The PMK, known for changing sides during every elections, had contested 31 seats in the 2006 Assembly polls in alliance with the DMK and won 18 of them.

The DMK snapped its ties with the PMK in 2008 after Ramadoss gave "zero marks" to DMK for governance. In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, PMK contested seven seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from the AIADMK-led platform but drew a blank.

Besides, the two parties bitterly fought the Pennagaram by-polls last year in which the DMK won and PMK came second.

The party will be the third largest constituent in the DMK-Congress combine.

Meanwhile, the Congress is yet to officially intitiate poll talks with the DMK though it has repeatedly asserted that the alliance between the two parties is firm.

TNCC president K V Thangkabalu, after meeting Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, also in-charge of party's Tamil Nadu affairs, had announced that they would initiate talks by the week-end.

Source: hindustantimes.com

Unseat Karunanidhi in his own constituency, Jayalalithaa tells cadres

AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Monday called upon her party cadres “to create a new history” by ensuring the defeat of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in his own constituency in the Assembly election.

“Mr. Karunanidhi has been saying he has never lost an election. He must face defeat this time. He must bite the dust. It will be a permanent victory for the AIADMK and there will be no fall for us,” she said presiding over 63 marriages organised by Jayalalithaa Peravai in Chennai as part of her 63rd birthday celebrations.

Golden period

Stating that the AIADMK and Tamil Nadu were on the verge of entering a golden period, she said if Mr. Karunanidhi was defeated in the elections, the darkness engulfing Tamil Nadu would disappear.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said corruption, hoarding and smuggling had become rampant in the country and everyday there was news about how one family had enriched itself.

“Even before we could understand the gravity of the Rs. 1.76 lakh crore 2 G spectrum scam, a scam to the tune of Rs. 2 lakh crore has unfolded. One party has made use of one ministry and made such a huge money. This money had been stashed away in foreign banks in the name of one family,” she added.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said the country would have been benefitted if the money was used for opening schools and hospitals and for the development of industry and agriculture.

Stressing that Tamil Nadu could be saved from the “evil forces” only by establishing MGR rule, she said the AIADMK had the responsibility and duty to save the country.

Prepare for sacrifice

“We should destroy the evil force in Tamil Nadu and the victory will save the country because Tamil Nadu is the birth place of that evil force,” she said.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said the AIADMK, committed to the ideals of honesty, dharma and patriotism, could certainly challenge misuse of power by the “evil force” and its “money power and muscle power.” She also called upon the cadres to prepare themselves for any sacrifice to defeat the designs of the “evil force.”

“Everyone in Tamil Nadu should cooperate for releasing the State from the clutches of the evil force,” she said.

Gifts to couples

Ms. Jayalalithaa also gave 63 types of gifts (seethanam) to the newly wed couples.

Jayalalithaa Peravai secretary Nainar Nagendran and Party MP N. Balaganga were present.

Source: Hindu

Raja in CBI custody for two more days; not giving 'useful info'

Former Telecom Minister A. Raja was today remanded to two more days of CBI custody by a court here for further interrogation after the agency submitted that he was not divulging any 'useful information' regarding his role in the 2G scam.

Special Judge O P Saini also sent former Telecom Secretary Siddartha Behura and Raja's former Personal Secretary R.K. Chandolia to Tihar Jail under judicial custody as the agency said it no longer needs them in its custody.

Raja will remain in CBI custody till February 10.

The trio, arrested by the agency on February 2 for their alleged role in the 2G spectrum allocation scam, involving a loss of Rs 22,000 crore to the public exchequer as per the CVC estimates, were produced before the Special Judge following expiry of their five-day custody with the CBI.

After producing the trio before the court, the CBI sought four more days of custody to interrogate Raja saying that he was 'not divulging any useful and crucial information' about his role in 2G spectrum scam.

"Some more documents are to be recovered and accused A. Raja is to be confronted with them," senior CBI prosecutor Akhilesh submitted.

Refuting allegations by Raja's counsel Ramesh Gupta that the agency had not disclosed to the court the outcome of the probe conducted so far in this case, Akhilesh said, "The case diary has already been submitted to the court. Each and everything cannot be disclosed in the open courtroom."

Opposing CBI's demand for four more days of Raja's custody, Gupta said, "I am not having the custody of any document, which the CBI wants to recover from me."

"Whatever documents were there, they have already been seized by them in 2009 itself," he added.

About Behura and Chandolia, the CBI counsel said the agency no longer needs their custody.

"The two can be sent to Tihar Jail under judicial custody," he said.

Source: deccanchronicle.com

Karunanidhi involved in 2G scam, Swamy tells CBI court

A Delhi court on Saturday issued notice to the CBI, asking it to file a detailed report on whether its probe in the 2G spectrum case covers the aspect of national security as raised by Janta Party chief Subramanian Swamy in his private complaint seeking prosecution of former telecom minister A Raja.

"Issue notice to the CBI to file its detailed report of the investigation being carried out by it and whether it covers the aspect of national security as raised by Subramanian Swamy in the present case," special CBI judge Pradeep Chaddah said.

During the hearing, the court queried if they can still proceed in the case before it in the wake of Raja's arrest by the CBI.

Seeking CBI's response in the matter, the court posted the hearing for February 23.

"I am of the opinion that this court should not proceed for the time being with this matter", the judge said while issuing notice to the CBI.

Swamy, meanwhile, submitted before the court that he is intending to move an application to implead some other persons, including Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, as accused in this complaint.

Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, who had been summoned by the court to appear as witnesses on Swamy's complaint, has filed a certified copy of the entire report concerning this matter through his advocate Sandeep Sethi.

The special CBI judge had on January 22 sought presence of Rai and Director CAG R P Singh in the court on Saturday to depose as witnesses on the complaint by Swamy seeking registration of a criminal case against Raja for his alleged role in the scam, which, according to the CAG, caused a presumptive loss of 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.

The court had on January 7 held as "maintainable" the private complaint filed by Swamy on December 15 last year.

He had made a three-fold prayer which included that his complaint be taken cognizance of and Raja be summoned to take the case to its logical conclusion.

As per the second prayer, Swamy wanted the court to appoint him "as a deemed public prosecutor under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act."

Swamy also wanted the court's directions to agencies like the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to assist him in conducting prosecution and in the further investigation into the scam.

Quoting from the CAG report, Swamy had alleged that Raja committed fraud by adopting the first-come-first-served basis in allocating Spectrum to ineligible companies.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Govt has made itself a 'laughing stock': Jayalalithaa

In Tamil Nadu, the political aftershocks of A Raja's arrest have been co-opted quickly into the campaign agenda of the Opposition. The state votes in three months.

In Chennai today, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa said the arrest of the former Telecom Minister has convinced her that the government has "turned itself into a laughing stock by contradicting itself several times over."

Ms Jayalalithaa said that first, the government's auditor declared Mr Raja guilty of costing the country upto 1.76 lakh crores through his deliberate mishandling of the allocation of spectrum for mobile networks. Despite this, she said, new Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said that 2G licenses had caused no losses to the government.

Now, the CBI, which also reports to the Centre, Ms Jayalithaa alleges, has proved that financial crimes were committed by arresting Mr Raja.

Mr Raja was arrested along with two of his former aides on Wednesday in Delhi for his alleged role in the spectrum scam. The Supreme Court is monitoring the CBI's investigation to unravel how the scam - described as India's largest - was planned and executed.

"The arrest is meant to hoodwink the public and seems to have been taken just to tell the Supreme Court that some action is being taken against Raja because a few months ago, the supreme Court had asked why no action had been taken." (Read: Jayalalithaa's entire statement on Raja arrest)

Ms Jayalalithaa said that her party will continue to insist that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) be set up to investigate the scam. Different opposition parties united in their demand for a JPC in November and since then, Parliament has been paralyzed, with the government refusing to sanction a JPC.

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Govt has made itself a 'laughing stock': Jayalalithaa

In Tamil Nadu, the political aftershocks of A Raja's arrest have been co-opted quickly into the campaign agenda of the Opposition. The state votes in three months.

In Chennai today, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa said the arrest of the former Telecom Minister has convinced her that the government has "turned itself into a laughing stock by contradicting itself several times over."

Ms Jayalalithaa said that first, the government's auditor declared Mr Raja guilty of costing the country upto 1.76 lakh crores through his deliberate mishandling of the allocation of spectrum for mobile networks. Despite this, she said, new Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said that 2G licenses had caused no losses to the government.

Now, the CBI, which also reports to the Centre, Ms Jayalithaa alleges, has proved that financial crimes were committed by arresting Mr Raja.

Mr Raja was arrested along with two of his former aides on Wednesday in Delhi for his alleged role in the spectrum scam. The Supreme Court is monitoring the CBI's investigation to unravel how the scam - described as India's largest - was planned and executed.

"The arrest is meant to hoodwink the public and seems to have been taken just to tell the Supreme Court that some action is being taken against Raja because a few months ago, the supreme Court had asked why no action had been taken." (Read: Jayalalithaa's entire statement on Raja arrest)

Ms Jayalalithaa said that her party will continue to insist that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) be set up to investigate the scam. Different opposition parties united in their demand for a JPC in November and since then, Parliament has been paralyzed, with the government refusing to sanction a JPC.

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Karunanidhi to discuss seat-sharing with Sonia, PM

The countdown to the elections in Tamil Nadu has begun. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi arrived with his daughter Kanimozhi and a few cabinet colleagues in Delhi on Sunday on a three-day visit to discuss seat-sharing with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

After the sacking of Telecom Minister and DMK leader A Raja, the relation between the two parties were a little strained. Even during the Cabinet reshuffle, the Congress didn't give the Telecom portfolio back to the DMK. However, both the parties have maintained that there is no trouble between them and the alliance is intact.

The state assembly elections are slated for May in Tamil Nadu.

The Congress got 48 seats during the 2006 assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. Now, the party is expected to demand more including share in power if the DMK is voted back to power.

The DMK chief on Sunday also confirmed that the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), will be a part of the DMK led alliance for the forthcoming elections.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister will also raise the issue of the two Indian fishermen who were allegedly killed by Sri Lankan Navy, with the Prime Minister and ask him to tell Colombo not to resort to firing. (Read: Karunanidhi to take up killing of fishermen with PM)

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PM is weak and ineffective, says Jaya

Targeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of continued attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy, AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday described him as "weak and ineffective" and asked him to quit if "doesn't know what to do".

After meeting the family members of a fisherman who was brutally killed in the latest attack off Kodiakarai coast in the district, Jayalalithaa said, "the Indian government is weak. The Prime Minister is weak and ineffective."

Since the prime minister was "ineffective", the Sri Lankan Navy had the audacity to kill Indian fishermen, she alleged.

"India is one among the biggest nations in the world with a mighty Armed Force. But, the tiny Sri Lanka is playing with the lives of Indian fishermen. This is happening only because the Central government is very weak," she told reporters outside the house of N Jayakumar, who was allegedly dragged into sea waters with a rope tied to his neck resulting in his death last week.

Jayalalithaa described as "illegal" the ceding of Katchatheevu, an islet, to Sri Lanka in 1974 by India by way of a pact saying it was not ratified by the Parliament.

Retrieval of Katchatheevu was the only solution to end the sufferings of Tamil Nadu fishermen, she said.

Jayalalithaa accused the DMK government of not showing any interest in safeguarding the lives of the fishermen. "The DMK is interested only in the welfare of a single family. Law and order is deteriorating in the state and people feel very insecure," she claimed.

Earlier, Jayalalithaa, who arrived at Vedaranyam by a helicopter, reached the Pushpanavam village by road.

She comforted the fisherman's family members and presented a cash relief of Rs one lakh to his wife Murugeswari, assuring all help, including assistance for the education of her two girl children.

She also visited the houses of the two injured fishermen and enquired about their health.

Two fishermen from the state were killed allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy in a span of 10 days following which India lodged a strong protest with the island nation and sought strong action to end such incidents.

Sri Lanka has denied its Navy was involved in the attacks.

Source: expressbuzz.com