DMK, Congress meet to discuss Raja

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MPs are to meet in Chennai on Sunday at 3 pm, to devise a strategy to face Parliament in the backdrop of furore over the 2G spectrum scandal involving Union Telecom Minister A Raja.

DMK sources sought to downplay the scandal saying it a regular meeting and no significance attached to the ruckus over Raja.

"We may deliberate on it, but why to take an official stance, as the 2G issue is in the Supreme Court," the source said.

DMK chief K Karunanidhi on Thursday appeared unperturbed over the clamour to sack Raja nor the televison interview of rival J Jayalalitha offering support of her 9 MPs to the United Progressive Alliance. Instead, Karunanidhi was attaching a special show of the Tamil movie Myna.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is returning Delhi from the G-20 summit on Friday night and Congress President is in Imphal and will return on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the Congress core group is meeting on Saturday to discuss Raja and the functioning of Parliament, which has been paralysed by the Opposition over the spectrum scandal.

There is a strong buzz in the corridors of power in Delhi that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee may be deputed to Chennai.