Emergency meeting of DMK executive underway

Chennai: An emergency meeting of the executive of UPA's key ally DMK is underway here today to discuss ways to counter the AIADMK government's move to slap cases against its leaders.

Ever since the Jayalalithaa government stormed to power in May 2011, several DMK leaders and former Ministers, besides sitting MLAs, have been facing the heat with land grab and disproportionate assets cases filed against them.

DMK has maintained that many cases were foisted ones. Cases were recently slapped against former Minsters K Ponmudy and K N Nehru. Karunanidhi's grandson Dayanidhi Alagiri is also in the dock over alleged illegal granite mining scam in Madurai.

The party had earlier conducted a series of protests on the issue.

Today's meeting, chaired by party chief M Karunanidhi, was attended among others by his sons Union minister M K Alagiri and M K Stalin.

Karunanidhi had on Sunday sought to scotch speculation that the Executive would also discuss a possible cabinet reshuffle with its quota of two portfolios remaining vacant, saying it would not nominate anyone.