From rxpgnews.com
DMK meet recommends dropping Maran from cabinet, party
By IANS,
May 13, 2007 - 9:51:52 PM
Chennai, May 13 - A high-powered committee of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK party Sunday night recommended the expulsion of Telecommunications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran from the union cabinet as well as the party.
Maran was issued a show-cause notice that said his 'actions were detrimental to the party' and he should explain why he should not be expelled from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is also part of the United Progressive Alliance - ruling in New Delhi.
The DMK administrative committee that met at its headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, included senior leaders and loyalists of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi like K. Anbazhagan, Arcot Veerasamt and Durai Murugan.
The senior DMK leaders urged Karunanidhi to recommend to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Maran be dropped from the cabinet, party sources said.
The party resolution authorised DMK president Karunanidhi to take action against Maran immediately in the intra-family political feud.
Predictably, the Karunanidhi loyalists did not discuss any action against the chief minister's Madurai-based son M.K. Azhagiri, whose supporters burned the Dinakaran newspaper office, killing three media employees Wednesday.
His name did not figure in the resolution that condemned the Madurai violence.
The Karunanidhi camp is blaming Dinakaran, published by minister Maran's elder brother Kalanidhi Maran, for Wednesday's violence in Madurai and demanding punishment for Maran junior for this.
The process against Maran is scheduled to begin in the coming week, with intimation to the UPA allies that the DMK would be withdrawing Maran from the cabinet.
However, Maran is expected to tender his resignation to the prime minister Monday, well-informed sources said.
It is with resolutions from such administrative committees that powerful dissidents within the DMK like M.G. Ramachandran were expelled and Vaiko was forced to leave the party.
After Maran's exit, Union Minister for Shipping and Surface Transport T.R. Baalu will return to being DMK pointsman within the UPA in New Delhi.
Sunday's crucial meet was attended by 148 DMK senior members, including MPs and legislators.
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