DMK may skip UPA-II anniversary celebrations

NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Sulking over the arrest of party MP Kanimozhi, the DMK may keep away from the celebrations to mark the second anniversary of the UPA-II government here tomorrow.

DMK Parliamentary Party Leader T R Baalu, who was here in a local court during hearing of the 2G spectrum scam in which Kanimozhi was also present, returned to Chennai for consultations with the party leadership.

Some Union Ministers, including Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran, and MPs of the party also left for Chennai this evening.

There was no official word on whether the DMK would participate in the celebrations at the Prime Minister's residence tomorrow evening when Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, senior ministers and leaders of other allied parties will be present.

DMK, with 18 MPs, is the third largest constituent of the UPA and has six ministers, including two with cabinet rank, in the Council of Ministers.

Sources said the DMK may not be in a celebratory mood with Kanimozhi, daughter of M Karunanidhi in jail on bribery charges.

However, sources said it could be too early for DMK to start thinking on the lines of breaking with Congress since it has also lost power in Tamil Nadu.

The possibility of a low-key representation at tomorrow's function cannot also be ruled out, they said.

Upset over the arrest of Kanimozhi, DMK chief Karunanidhi had said yesterday that he was in a position like that of any father whose daughter faced a similar situation for no fault of hers.

He had also said the DMK general council would decide on future ties with Congress.