Was Maran not consulted on poll issues?
By M.R. Venkatesh CHENNAI, APRIL 15. As nominations for the May 10 Assembly elections begin on Monday, the ruling DMK today played down the fallout of the senior DMK leader and Union Industry and Commerce Minister, Mr. Murasoli Maran’s dramatic announcement yesterday, to “keep away from active politics on health grounds.” As party insiders took stock of this sudden development that jolted the DMK leadership a few hours before the party released its candidates list, sources say Mr. Maran was not being consulted this time on key alliance-related issues and that caused his “angst.” “On the whole he was not happy,” party sources said, though they do not see Mr. Maran’s move having adverse impact on the cadres morale. The DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, today declined to be drawn into the “Maran episode,” saying that “there is no problem within the party and things are quite well.” After having won a “brand equity” as a “serious reformist Minister” at the Centre along with
