Jayalalithaa wants Raja’s head

NEW DELHI: AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa on Monday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sack Union IT and communications minister and senior DMK leader A Raja after reports about the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) asking for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the allotment of 2G spectrum licenses surfaced.

The AIADMK has also asked the PM to ���reign in ��� DMK minister and Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi���s elder son, MK Alagiri, whose office wrote to the Indian envoy to Uzbekistan seeking favours for businessmen visiting that country.

Tamil Nadu���s main Opposition party, which has been vociferously raising the issue of alleged corruption in the allotment of spectrum by Mr Raja as the IT and communications minister during UPA I, said the minister had caused the nation huge losses by adopting a ���defective policy for airwaves spectrum allotment���.

In a statement released in Chennai, Ms Jayalalithaa said: ���If media reports are to be believed, Mr Raja���s misdemeanours have been referred to the CBI by CVC for investigation. If a fair probe is to take place, Mr Raja should be removed from Union minister���s post now���. Ms Jayalalithaa went on to add: ���Only if that is done, Manmohan Singh will not only be doing the right thing but will also be seen as being fair and above board���.

The alleged scam in allocation of 2G spectrum had rocked Parliament during the UPA���s previous tenure, with the BJP as well as other Opposition parties joining the AIADMK in making allegations of irregularities by Mr Raja. In fact, the issue has been alive even after the new government came to power. The Monsoon session of Parliament saw the spectrum scam issue being raised once again.

However, with Mr Raja having strengthened his position within the DMK, the Congress and the PM may have little say in the matter. Mr Raja���s increased clout in the DMK is given away by his being picked over another senior leader and former minister, TR Baalu, during portfolio allocation after UPA II came to power.

However, with the AIADMK as well as other Opposition parties keeping the issue alive, the spectrum scam could raise temperatures in Congress-DMK ties if the former takes the bait of singling out Mr Raja for the alleged irregularities.

On Mr Alagiri, Ms Jayalalithaa once again attempted to drive a wedge between the Congress and the DMK by bringing up the letter from the minister���s office to the Uzbek envoy.

���The letter by Alagiri's office violates communication from the cabinet secretary which prescribes norms to be followed by officials dealing with foreign visits, that they should not write to any foreign embassies in India or Indian missions abroad," Ms Jayalalithaa said. She asked the PM to "rein in his errant cabinet colleague immediately".

The AIADMK, which had received a drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, is making a forceful attempt to reclaim the Opposition space after lying low for a few months.

The party has attacked the DMK government in Tamil Nadu and the Central government, of which Mr Karunanidhi���s party is a key constituent, on issues such as the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and the giving of permission to Kerala to undertake a survey for a new dam on the Mullaiperiyar river.