2G scam: Raja meets Karunanidhi for second time in 24 hours

CHENNAI - Information Technology and Communications Minister A Raja met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo M Karunanidhi for the second time in the last 24 hours and is understood to have discussed the 2G spectrum allocation issue with him.

Raja met Karunanidhi at his residence here and the two are understood to have discussed the implications of the CAG report on the alleged scam, over which the opposition is seeking the Minister’s removal.

This is the second meeting Raja has had with Karunanidhi in the last 24 hours. Soon after his arrival from Delhi last night, the Minister had met the DMK chief.

His second meeting, lasting 30-minutes, assumes significance in the wake of the BJP and Left parties launching an all out offensive against him on the spectrum issue.

Senior DMK Leader and Tamil Nadu Law Minister Durai Murugan is in New Delhi to probably discuss the issue of the opposition demand for Raja’s removal with the Congress leadership.

Raja had yesterday ruled out resignation.

“I have full confidence in myself. Whatever I did, I did exactly in accordance with law. I will prove that these types of perceptions (his role in the scam) are wrong,” he had said.

Meanwhile, the Congress has held a high-level meeting to discuss the 2G scam and the A Raja sacking demand.

The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, party President Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to the Congress President were present during the deliberations that took place at Parliament House here.

The leaders are also said to have discussed a strategy to tackle Opposition attacks.

The meeting also assumes significance as it came amid growing pressure from the opposition for the removal of Raja as Telecom Minister.

Meanwhile, in Thiruvananthapuram, Defence Minister AK Antony has said the government is not covering up, nor is it conducting a “witch hunt” on the issue.

“I am a cabinet minister. I am not offering any comment. I have limitations. I am not for a public debate. Let us wait and see,” he added

When asked about the Congress”s response to the offer of support from AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa to the government in event of the DMK pull-out over Raja issue, he said “our party spokesperson has already made the (Congress) stand clear”.

The opposition campaign is expected to gain further momentum in the coming week with the CAG report on the 2G Spectrum allocation set to be tabled in Parliament.

The 2G spectrum allocations caused an alleged loss of Rs1.76 lakh crore to the Government, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has stated in a damning report.

The report further states that Raja had no apparent logical or valid reasons to ignore the advice of the Law and Finance Ministries while allocating telecom spectrum to several firms in 2007-08.

The report is likely to be tabled in Parliament within ten days. (ANI)