DMK retains suspended leader in TV channel

CHENNAI: DMK, which suspended its organising secretary P V Kalyanasundaram from all party posts, is yet to take a call on his directorship of the scam-tainted Kalaignar TV.
While Kalyanasundaram was suspended from the primary membership of the party on Thursday, ostensibly on charges of indulging in anti-party activities, the senior partyman’s resignation letter on July 30 demanded that DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s son M K Stalin be projected as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the 2016 assembly elections.The board of Kalaignar TV, which runs a few Tamil language television channels, has two other directors, Sharad Kumar, its managing director, and P Amirtham, nephew of DMK chief Karunanidhi.
It is learnt that Kumar stopped attending board meetings of the TV channel after the 2G scam broke and he stepped down as its CEO in the wake of his arrest in the case. While his prolonged absence at board meetings would automatically annul his directorship in the company, thereby leaving only Amirtham and Kalyanasundaram as directors, Sharad continues to be a director in Kalaignar TV as per ROC (register of companies) records. The law mandates a minimum of two directors for a private limited company.
Kalaignar TV, promoted by Karunanidhi’s family members after a feud with Kalanithi and Dayanidhi Maran of Sun TV, was allegedly one of the beneficiaries of the 2G scam. Its promoters were booked for receiving illegal gratification from DB Realty in return for securing it a telecom licence during A Raja’s tenure as telecom minister. Sharad Kumar and Karunanidhi’s daughter and Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi, shareholders in the company, are among the accused in the case and are facing trial.
“I have sent in my resignation. It is their turn to take a call. I don’t know whether they have accepted my resignation or not,” Kalyanasundaram told TOI. “It is not fair to continue as a director after I made some charges against one of the shareholders of the company.” In his resignation letter, Kalyanasundaram, a Stalin supporter, demanded that Kanimozhi, Raja and Dayanidhi Maran keep away from active party work.
With Kalyanasundaram’s exit, the financial accounts of Kalaignar TV for the year ending March 2014, which must be completed before September 30 for statutory purposes, appears in a limbo unless a new director is appointed soon. “If they do not accept my resignation, I will send it to the competent authority. I have also asked them to take back the 20-odd shares which were issued to me as a token shareholding in the company for being a director,” Kalyanasundaram said.
By suspending Kalyanasundaram from all party posts, the DMK leadership has made it clear that it would not tolerate such demands or rebellion.