Raja arrives to a rousing reception

Former Telecom Minister A Raja, the prime accused in 2G spectrum scam who was released on bail recently, arrived here today to a rousing reception by party workers at the airport on his first visit to his home state since his arrest in February last year.

Party supporters thronged the Kamaraj domestic airport in good numbers to receive the Dalit face of DMK as a visibly happy Raja waved at them before boarding a car to meet his party chief M Karunanidhi. Slogan-shouting and folk numbers played by a band greeted the MP from Nilgiris as the partymen carried placards hailing Raja as a "Bold" and "Bright Sun", DMK's election symbol.

The supporters wore T-shirts with slogans hailing Raja and carrying the picture of party leader M K Stalin. "Raja had conquered Tihar jail", read the slogans apparently referring to his incarceration and release from the Delhi prison where he was lodged for 15 months after he was arrested by CBI. A Delhi court had on Thursday allowed Raja to visit Tamil Nadu between June 8 and June 30 accepting his plea.

The court had earlier while granting him bail on May 15 imposed certain conditions, including that he would not visit his home state without its prior permission. Raja had sought the court's permission also on the ground that the trial proceedings would not be undertaken from June 9 to June 30 owing to summer vacation.