Congress-DMK ties intact, says Azad
May 24th, 2011 - 7:26 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Tuesday said ties between his party and the DMK were intact despite the electoral loss in Tamil Nadu and the arrest of DMK leaders in the spectrum scam.
Azad said he discussed the reasons for the defeat of the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu and the spectrum scandal with DMK leader and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi here.
Azad added that “we are all concerned” about the jailing of Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha member, in connection with the spectrum scam.
“We are taking stock of the situation… We are all concerned about Kanimozhi being inside jail,” he said.
The 87-year-old Karunanidhi was to fly back to Chennai Monday evening after meeting his daughter at the Tihar Central jail but stayed back. He returned Tuesday.
Azad said the arrest of Kanimozhi would not have any impact on Congress-DMK relations but made it clear that the government would not interfere in the case.
“All these goings on have no effect on the DMK-Congress alliance. In future also it will have no effect,” he told reporters.
Azad said the Congress was concerned about Kanimozhi as she was a woman.
“Our leader Sonia Gandhi is concerned because Kanimozhi … a woman is in jail. It is a matter of concern. The fact is one cannot do anything.
“Karunanidhi is not just the (leader) of the DMK but we have a personal relation with him for the past 34 years. He is a man of political understanding, he knows well that the Supreme Court is monitoring and a special court is looking into it (2G case) and knows the government is not interfering in any case including the (Suresh) Kalmadi case,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan also said that the ties with the DMK remained strong. She also met Karunanidhi before he left for Chennai.
“The DMK has said they will fight out (the 2G case) legally. As DMK was an alliance partner, I paid a courtesy call,” Natarajan told reporters.
Karunandhi also met jailed former communication minister and DMK leader A. Raja and Kalaignar TV managing director Sharad Kumar, both accused in the 2G scam, in the Tihar jail.
- Azad meets Karunanidhi; ties with DMK intact, says Congress (Lead) - May 24, 2011
- With daughter in jail, meeting Sonia wasn't right: Karunanidhi - May 25, 2011
- 2G case will not effect alliance with DMK: Congress (Lead) - May 06, 2011
- Karunanidhi to visit daughter in Tihar jail Tuesday (Lead) - Jun 20, 2011
- Karunanidhi to meet Kanimozhi, Sonia - Oct 21, 2011
- Karunanidhi in Delhi, to meet Kanimozhi in jail - May 23, 2011
- Indian democracy in peril as Kani denied bail: Karunanidhi - Nov 10, 2011
- DMK calls high-level meeting Friday - Jun 09, 2011
- Karunanidh to visit Delhi Monday, Baalu to attend UPA anniversary (Third Lead) - May 22, 2011
- Only Baalu from DMK at UPA dinner (Second Lead) - May 22, 2011
- Did not discuss filling up cabinet posts: Karunanidhi - Oct 26, 2011
- Kanimozhi, four others get bail, Karunanidhi beams (Roundup) - Nov 28, 2011
- Ties with Congress smooth: Karunanidhi - Jun 10, 2011
- Karunanidhi reaches Tihar Jail to meet Kanimozhi (Lead) - May 23, 2011
- Karunanidhi calls on Sonia before meeting Kanimozhi - Oct 22, 2011
Tags: alliance partner, central jail, chief minister, congress alliance, congress leader, courtesy call, dmk, ghulam nabi azad, jayanthi, jayanthi natarajan, kanimozhi, may 24, New Delhi, personal relation, rajya sabha member, scandal, sonia gandhi, spokesperson, suresh kalmadi, taking stock