2G claims another minister: Maran quits, DMK crisis deepens

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Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran on Thursday resigned from the union cabinet, the second DMK minister after A. Raja to do so following allegations of involvement in the 2G spectrum scam, putting a further question mark on the future of the party in India's ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Informed sources have revealed that Maran, 44, submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after what turned out to be his last cabinet meeting, ending speculation over his fate in a government eager to cleanse its tainted image after a series of corruption allegations.

While there was no official confirmation, sources said Manmohan Singh accepted the resignation after a brief meeting with key ministers - Pranab Mukherjee, P. Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal and M. Veerappa Moily - as well as Attorney General Goolam E. Vahanvati.

The meeting was called to study the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) 2G status report that was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The agency alleged that Maran forced telecom promoter C. Sivasankaran to sell his Aircel stake to the Malaysia-based Maxis group considered close to his family.

That was the proverbial nail in the coffin for Maran, the grand nephew of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi who was IT and communications minister before Raja.

Raja had quit in November 2010 and was jailed for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities in allotting second generation radio wave licences to mobile phone service providers. Another DMK leader, Karunanidhi's daughter and MP Kanimozhi, is also in prison for allegedly conspiring with Raja.

Now, arrest him

Unimpressed with the resignation, DMK's rival in Chennai, the AIADMK, has called for Maran's immediate arrest.

"It is good that Maran has resigned now, the earlier the better. Now, the law should take its course, fast. The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) should investigate on a fast track, file a charge sheet and arrest him," V. Maitreyan, AIADMK MP, said.

Abandoned Maran

According to political commentator Cho Ramaswamy, the DMK will not shed any tears for Maran. The party has abandoned him as senior DMK leaders believe that he was the reason for the trouble faced by Kanmizohi and Raja.

Maxis had allegedly bought 74 per cent stake in Aircel and the company was later allotted more telecom circles to operate in. Maxis Communication, through its subsidiary Astro, then allegedly invested around Rs.600 crore in Sun DTH belonging to the Sun TV Network owned by Maran's family.