CM's emissary meets PM, Sonia

New Delhi, May 14 (UNI) In the wake of the resignation of Union Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran from the Cabinet, DMK Treasurer and Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and handed over separate letters from party supremo M Karunanidhi.

Mr Veerasamy, who came here as an emissary of the Tamil Nadu Chief MInister, met Dr Singh at the "Yojana Bhavan," where the Prime Minister was busy attending a crucial meeting of the Planning Commission, and handed over two covers.

One of the covers consisted of a copy of the resolution passed at yesterday's Administrative Committee meeting of the DMK, which sought the removal of Mr Maran from the Union Cabinet and authorised Mr Karunanidhi and party General Secretary K Anbazhagan to take immediate steps in this regard. There is speculation that the second cover consists of the name of the successor to Mr Maran.

Mr Veerasamy also presented two letters to Ms Gandhi when he met her at her 10 Janpath residence.

He told mediapersons later that there would be a replacement of Mr Maran in the Union Cabinet at the earliest. He did not confirm if one of the letters contained the name of the successor of Mr Maran.

Mr Veerasamy said Mr Maran had violated party discipline. "Being a Union Minister, he should have acted properly." He said Mr Maran had telephoned the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary and threatened him following the Madurai incident in which two employees of "Dinakaran" newspaper owned by the Maran family was killed.

In this context, he said that Mr Maran should have first talk to Mr Karunanidhi, who is holding the Home Portfolio.

Meanwhile, The Prime Minister's Office today confirmed that Mr Maran had resigned from the Union Cabinet.

Mr Maran, camping in the hill resort of Udhagamandalam, faxed his resignation to the Prime Minister's Office last night after the DMK decided to remove him for tarnishing the party's image.

It is officially learnt that the Prime Minister has not so far forwarded the resignation to President A P J Abdul Kalam. The Prime Minister is expected to make a statement on the resignation of Mr Maran tomorrow.

UNI