DMK chief M Karunanidhi to call on Sonia Gandhi

DMK chief M Karunanidhi today said he would call on Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi tomorrow during his visit to New Delhi. "I will certainly meet her," he told reporters when asked whether he would meet Gandhi, who recently returned to India after a surgery abroad.

This will be Karunanidhi's first meeting with her after his party's rout in the April 13 Assembly polls. The DMK patriarch will meet his daughter Kanimozhi, the party MP who was arrested in connection with the 2G spectrum case and has been lodged in Tihar jail for the last six months.

Kalaignar TV, in which she holds shares, is alleged to have received a loan of Rs 200 crores from 2G accused Shahid Balwa. A special CBI court will tomorrow pronounce its order on framing of charges in the 2G spectrum case. The court will resume hearing on the bail applications of various accused, including that of Kanimozhi, from October 24.

On his party losing to archrival AIADMK in the civic polls, Karunanidhi said it was not surprising for a ruling party to win the local body polls. To a question on the stand-off against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, he noted that the Centre has formed a 15-member expert team to look into people's concerns over its safety and said if a discussion was held "we will convey our opinion."