Corruption Watch

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[url="http://www.dailypioneer.com/304079/DMK-rattled-Cong-plays-down-searches.html"]DMK rattled, Cong plays down searches[/url]

The CBI and Enforcement Directorate raids that reached the doorstep of the DMK first family have upset and tormented the rank and file of the party and triggered speculation about the survival of the seven-year-old alliance with the Congress.



There has been no official reaction from the DMK or its chief M Karunanidhi, who returned on Tuesday night from a hill resort retreat on Monday. Reports said party’s Lok Sabha member TR Baalu, who had called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Monday, later met Karunanidhi at the Yelagiri hills.



Already there is divided opinion within the party and the Karunanidhi family and two of his sons want him to abandon Raja.



With Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu just four months away, the Congress has tried to play down the political fallout of the raids. The Congress leaders are worried over a meeting of the DMK slated for Saturday to discuss the political fallout of the CBI raids on ruling party in the southern State. Sources said the DMK is likely to discuss and review its ties with the Congress.



“Talks between the Congress and DMK are going on through backdoor channels. We are convinced that the alliance with the DMK will continue. We have not heard anything from them as yet,” highly placed sources in the Congress said.



Sources further said the[color="#FF0000"] Congress is trying to explain the inevitability of the raids as they are being monitored by the Supreme Court.[/color] Moreover, the Congress is trying to clarify to its ally the pressure on the Government to take a stand against corruption.

List of people raided



A Ramachandran, Chinayapan Krishnamurthy, T Silvarajon, A Kamras, Rev Father Jagath Gasper Raj, C Sathyanarayanan, Valavan, MS Shaqir, Md Hassan, Mahesh Jain, JG Exports, Alok Jain and Boby



List of cos raided



Greenhouse Promoters, Equuas Estates, Kadir Kamang Trading, Shivam Trading, Kowai Shelters, AGM Investment and Finance Limited, Welcome Communication, Genex Exim Venture, Shelly Thermo Plastic, JG Exports (three branches in Chennai), Aiyappa Enterprises, Shelley Road Systems