dmk riled at graft charges
Union Communications and Information Technology Minister A Raja appears to be increasingly becoming a liability for the DMK, a major ally of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. It is likely that whenever Prime Minister Manmohan Singh undertakes an expansion-cum-reshuffle of the Cabinet, Raja will be axed and DMK supremo M Karunanidhi’s daughter, Kanimozhi, will succeed him.
The charges of corruption and various other irregularities against Raja are becoming highly embarrassing for the Dravidian party ruling Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi’s son, MK Azhagiri, who is Minister for Fertilizers in the UPA Cabinet, has suggested that Raja be dispensed with. Kanimozhi, who had stepped aside in order to make way for Raja to become Minister, now does not seem averse to her brother’s recommendation.
For all practical purposes, it seems only a matter of time before Kanimozhi becomes a Union Minister. When she does, the Karunanidhi family will have the distinction of having not only a brother and sister but also another close relative in Dayanidhi Maran serving simultaneously in the Union Council of Ministers.
Family quarrel in Chennai
Karunanidhi progeny at war
And, while the DMK fights its battle on the Raja front, it seems there is trouble brewing within the Karunanidhi family. There are interesting recent developments in Chennai. On at least five days, Karunanidhi skipped going to one of the two houses that he always visits daily.
The city has been agog with speculation that Karunanidhi has disapproved of a serious tiff between the step- brothers and sisters. The situation apparently became so serious that his wife, who had failed to get him on the phone for some time, discussed the matter immediately when she finally met him. She reportedly asked him to distribute all the assets due to their children to avoid an unsavoury situation and bitter infighting later.
Waiting for manna
officer turns limpet
A 1974-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre, Rahul Sarin, who was Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, retired in August – well after he should have vacated the office. He had been appointed Member of the Competition Appellate Tribunal on May 14 this year. The committee that selected the tribunal members was headed by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan and included the Law and Corporate Affairs Secretaries as members. An officer appointed by this august body is expected to follow its orders in letter and spirit and Sarin should have quit his office and joined the tribunal at once. However, he continued as Secretary, setting off murmurs in North Block corridors.
Now, it has come to be known that he was waiting to be appointed a member of the Union Public Service Commission, as the Appellate Tribunal does not have much work. Also, former Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat is Chairman of the tribunal, so Sarin would have been second fiddle there. The question is, who allowed him to continue as Secretary, Personnel after the order of his appointment had come?
Sonia, Press Club member
journos await madam
The members of the Delhi Press Club – which calls itself the Press Club of India, to the chagrin of other press clubs around the country – are waiting for the day when Sonia Gandhi will call on them and perhaps have nimbu-paani on the lawn, while her securitymen glare at everyone around. Though the capital’s journos are used to having VVIPs amidst them in the relaxing atmosphere of the club, they are currently thrilled no end with having secured madam’s membership.
The coup was achieved when the club officials went to meet her at 10, Janpath and, after a good deal of conversation, proposed that she become a member of the club. It is said that, interpreting her smile as an assent, they completed the paperwork and handed her the membership card on the spot.
And then the notice announcing the new membership appeared on the board. However, before the officials could celebrate their feat in a befitting manner, they were dislodged from their posts by a general body meeting. What remains an enigma is how the Congress president reacted to this development. She was probably not surprised, being familiar with the perils of democracy.
