As the Opposition parties are mounting pressure on the UPA government to sack Communications Minister A. Raja from the Cabinet vis-à-vis the 2G spectrum issue, the Congress on Saturday made it clear that it had no role in the demand, and it was for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and DMK president M. Karunanidhi to decide.
“Mr. Raja is a member in the government representing the DMK, an important ally of the UPA, and it is not for us [the Congress] to respond to the demands for his removal from the Ministry,” party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told The Hindu here.
It was a difficult situation to react where the party had no issues.
On AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa's offer to back the UPA government, in the event of the DMK withdrawing support to it following the removal of Mr. Raja, Mr. Ahmed reiterated Dr. Singh's statement that right now the Congress was in alliance with the DMK. “Nobody can predict the future.” When the Congress stated it was in alliance with the DMK, it included everything, Mr. Ahmed said.
He dismissed Ms. Jayalalithaa's offer, stating it was her own feeling (to join hands with the Congress), and the Congress' alliance with the DMK was continuing.
Mr. Ahmed went hammer and tongs on the BJP taking the moral high ground when its own leadership in Karnataka was involved in land scams.
