Raids mount pressure on DMK; CM still backs Raja

With the CBI conducting simultaneous raids in New Delhi and Chennai on properties owned by former Union Telecom Minister A Raja and his close associates accused in the 2G spectrum scandal, pressure is mounting from within in the DMK to take disciplinary action against the disgraced politician ahead of next year's Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

However, the DMK patriarch and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, is unwilling to relent and continues to back his protégé Raja arguing that the charges against him were yet to be proved.

It is reliably learnt that the family members of Karunanidhi too are divided on taking action against Raja, whose misadventures as Telecom Minister and alleged attempt to interfere with the judiciary has placed the DMK in an unenviable position with the Opposition AIADMK getting enough ammunition to target the ruling party just months ahead of the Assembly elections.

According to sources, Karunanidhi's two sons Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin and Union Chemicals Minister M K Alagiri ( born to his official wife Dayalu Ammal) are in favour of taking action against Raja as a face saving formula since the party has fallen in the esteem of the public. However, the Chief Minister's other wife Rajathi Ammal and her daughter Kanimozhi are strongly opposed to the suggestion.

The DMK is learnt to have decided to convene a meeting of its high level committee on Friday seemingly to discuss the fallout of the controversies surrounding Raja, who is a prominent Dalit face of the party. Some senior party leaders in private admit that leaving Raja untouched will lead to moral bankruptcy. " The least our leader can do is to remove Raja as secretary of the party's propaganda unit. Or he can be suspended for now and reinstated once public memory fades," said a senior Minister.

On Wednesday, the CBI conducted raids in the houses of Raja and his family members at his native town in Perambalur district and in Chennai. The premises of Green House Promoters, a real estate company in which Raja's family members are believed to have stakes, was also raided. However, Karunanidhi remained stubborn in protecting Raja. " If Raja is found guilty, we will definitely take action against him. (However, for the time being) I don't think he has committed any mistake. We will support him until he is found guilty," the leader told.