Raja arrest not to affect ties with DMK: Cong

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) The arrest of former telecomminister A Raja will not have any impact on the relationsbetween DMK and Congress, which announced a two-member team ofits senior leaders to hold seat sharing talks with the allyfor the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

Union Ministers Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the AICCgeneral secretary in-charge of the state, and Vayalar Raviwill hold seat sharing talks with DMK, party sources said.

"The relationship between the two parties is intact.

It (Raja''s arrest) will have no effect on Congress-DMKrelationship. The ties between the parties are based onprinciples, policies and issues," Azad told reporters here.

He said that the relationship between Congress and DMKis not an arrangement based on relationship between twopersons, which will be affected by something concerning anindividual.

At the same time, he said, "First of all whateverallegations are there are to be probed. One cannot be brandedguilty on the basis of suspicion."

He was replying to a question whether Raja''s arrestwas an embarrassment for the Congress-led government at theCentre.

Though noting that it was not something which hadhappened for the first time in Indian or world politics, heacknowledged that what has happened was sad.

Asked whether DMK chief M Karunanidhi was taken intoconfidence on the issue of Raja''s arrest, Azad said CBI hasits own way of doing things and it does not consult politicalleadership before taking any such actions like on what day itwill arrest whom.

Azad refused to go into the issue of how many seatsCongress would seek from DMK in Tamil Nadu saying the issue isbetween the two parties and they will discuss and decide overit when they sit together.

He parried a question on Congress'' reservations overaligning with PMK saying this is something that the partywould discuss with DMK during seat sharing talks.

There was however no reaction from DMK on Raja''sarrest.