Raja to continue in party and politics: Karunanidhi

Chennai, June 8 (IANS) Former telecom minister A. Raja, a key accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, Friday met his DMK party resident M. Karunanidhi, who said Raja would continue to be in the party and politics.

Karunanidhi said meeting Raja was like meeting his brother after a year.

Raja arrived here Friday evening to a tumultuous welcome by his supporters. From the airport he drove straight to the DMK headquarters here to meet Karunanidhi, who welcomed him with a garland.

"I will continue to be in DMK as a party cadre," Raja, the party's propaganda secretary, told reporters after meeting Karunanidhi.

To a query on Raja's political future, Karunanidhi said the former telecom minister would continue to be in the party and in politics.

Karunanidhi got upset when asked about the absence of pomp and show that marked his daughter Kanimozhi's return here from a jail in Delhi after she was granted bail in the same telecom case.

"You should not ask such questions," he shot back.

Saying that the telecom scam case is subjudice, Raja said the CBI court has not agreed to the alleged loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore to the government in the allocation of spectrum.

According to Raja, he lost personal liberty but in jail he read the books given by Karunanidhi to gain strength.

He said he would go to his native Perambulur, near Thiruchirapalli, 600 km from here, Sunday.

This is Raja's first visit home in over 15 months. He was arrested Feb 1, 2011, and released on bail May 15 this year.

Hundreds of DMK workers gathered at Chennai airport and milled around Raja as soon as he alighted from an aircraft. Slogans greeting Raja and drum beats rent the air.

Arriving outside the airport, a beaming Raja waved his hands to his supporters.

Many party cadres wore T-shirts with Raja's picture on them.