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Kanimozhi, Dayanidhi in race to replace ousted telecom minister

CHENNAI: With Union telecom minister A Raja resigning late Sunday, talk of possible DMK faces to substitute him in the Cabinet gained momentum. Contenders range from the party chief's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi to the current minister of state for finance S S Palanimanickam, who is a loyalist of deputy chief minister MK Stalin, besides a second-rung Dalit MP AKS Vijayan. Some sections in the DMK are also suggesting a plan to get Dayanidhi Maran moved into Raja's position and then bring in a relatively less experienced person into the textile ministry in Maran's place. Kanimozhi is the choice of several party seniors ``given her eloquence in English'' besides the fact that she is the DMK patriarch's daughter, said a source. Some partymen, however, argue that Karunanidhi would not want to be the target of opposition criticism for allotting yet another Cabinet berth to a family member. His son MK Alagiri is the Union Chemicals and Fertiliser minister and his grand-nephew Maran is textiles minister. While Maran had been keen on the telecom portfolio during the initial berth allocation for UPA-2 - he had held it earlier from 2004 to 2007 in UPA-1 - Karunanidhi had chosen Raja for the post and is not likely to suggest his grandnephew's name again to head the influential ministry. Senior DMK MP, TKS Elangovan, considered close to Karunanidhi and a party loyalist who had not contested any election prior to the Lok Sabha election in 2009, is also in the reckoning. Elangovan, the party's spokesperson in Delhi, who is also conversant in English, has the backing of Kanimozhi and is media-savvy. The only factor that weighs against him is lack of administrative experience. The name of minister of state for finance and Thanjavur strongman, Palanimanickam, also figures in the list of probables. Palanimanickam has had two stints as Union minister and is likely to be an ``efficient alternative'' to Raja, feel partymen. Another party senior and DMK parliamentary party leader, T R Baalu, who was denied a berth in the present ministry, is also said to be keen on taking over from Raja, although his chances do not appear bright due to perceptions about his past record as Union minister for shipping and surface transport. Karunanidhi may even prefer to induct Nagapattinam MP AKS Vijayan, who is the only other Dalit DMK MP apart from Raja in the Lok Sabha, say partymen, who, however, point out that the three-time MP may not be equipped to handle the hefty telecom portfolio.

                                                                                                               
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