Environment minister Raja to replace Maran

New Delhi, May 15: The Environment and Forests Minister A Raja is set to replace Dayanidhi Maran as Union Communications and Information Technology Minister.

Raja, DMK MP from Perambalur, was selected after Dayanidhi resigned from the cabinet on his granduncle and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's order on Sunday.

Karunanidhi is reportedly furious with Dayanidhi and his elder brother Kalanidhi for publishing a survey in their newspaper Dinakaran which said 70 per cent people in Tamil Nadu wanted the CM's elder son, M K Stalin, to succeed his father.

Alleged supporters of Karunanidhi's elder son, M K Azhagiri, on May 9 torched a Dinakaran office in Madurai on May 9 while protesting against the survey. Azhagiri has sued the Sun TV network, owned by Kalanidhi, for broadcasting "defamatory" articles against him. Three persons died in the violence.

Dayananidhi on Monday said Karunanidhi was "misled" by someone. "I don't care about the ministerial berth. Ministry does not make any difference to me. I am only sad that an accusation has been put on me that I indulged in anti-party activities.

"Someone has tried to capitalise the opportunity," Maran said. "I do not know what anti-party activities I have done. I could not even dream of any anti-party activities against my leader or the party," he said.

"I was born and would die as a DMK worker. Even if they expel me, I will be a DMK sympathiser," he added.

Maran, MP from Central Madras, also distanced himself from the survey published in Dinakaran. "I have nothing to do with them."

Maran said he shared "good relations" with both Stalin and Azhagiri and had not received any show-cause notice from the party.

OneIndia News

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