The 2G spectrum scam that cost A Raja his chair took the steam out of DMK's preparations for the 2011 Tamil Nadu polls during the year that saw AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa taking up cudgels against the party and asking Congress to dump its ally.
Revelations of reported conversation between DMK MP Kanimozhi and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and Raja being summoned by CBI for questioning in connection with the 2G spectrum scam added to the DMK's woes. Jayalalithaa and other Opposition party leaders made a major issue out of them and demanded the arrest of the former telecom minister.
This was the first time in DMK's history that the party asked one of its nominees to resign under intense opposition pressure after a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India indicted Raja for his role in the 2G spectrum allocation.
Karunanidhi pulled out all the stops, including playing the 'Dalit card', to save his 'affectionate brother' and let him continue as telecom minister, but in vain as Raja was forced to quit after Opposition parties stalled proceedings in Parliament demanding his resignation.
While Karunanidhi and a few DK leaders commented on the developments, others including Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin and Union minister M K Alagiri maintained a studied silence.
All seemed well for DMK till November as it was savouring the successful conduct of the World Tamil Classical Conference and a spectacular win in by-elections to Pennagaram assembly constituency in PMK-dominated area.
But, the CAG report on the 2G spectrum allocation came as a dampener for DMK and incidents after Raja's resignation like raids at his home and that of his aides have also raised question marks over the future of the DMK-Congress alliance.
As DMK struggled to get out of the 2G mess, Jayalalithaa sought to fish in troubled waters by asking Congress and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to dump DMK and sack Raja from the cabinet with a promise of the support of 18 MPs for the coalition.
However, the Congress quickly rejected the offer.
AIADMK and its poll partners Left parties also made attempts to reach out to the people by organising public meetings on the 'Himalayan corruption of the century'.
However, Karunanidhi continued to defend Raja and said it was a myth that a single individual could have swallowed Rs 1.76 lakh crore, the presumptuous loss projected by CAG.
DMK faced further embarrassment when the Radia tapes were made public in which Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi openly speaks against her relative Dayanidhi Maran during cabinet formation in 2009.
The appointment of former chief secretary K S Sripathy as Chief Information Commissioner was also opposed by rights activist.
They contended that it was during his term as Vigilance Commissioner that the Tamil Nadu Vigilance Commission pushed for exempting the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption from the Right to Information purview.
Jayalalithaa had even boycotted a selection committee meeting to decide the candidate even as activists had sought her support in their fight against the probable appointment of Sripathy. She is a member of the committee by virtue of being the Opposition Leader.
Incessant rains caused flood havoc in the state with nearly 180 people perishing in various rain-related incidents. The state government decided to seek a Central grant of a little over Rs 1,600 crore.
The state continued to be involved in inter-state water disputes, with the vexed Cauvery issue threatening to return.
The emotional issue seemed to threaten delicate inter-state relations, with Karnataka ruling out release of water to Tamil Nadu. As farmers in the Delta region of the state panicked over lack of water for crops, monsoon came lashing on Tamil Nadu, bringing rains.
However, the joy was short-lived as rains got heavier, resulting in floods and inundation, resulting in massive damage to crops and infrastructure.
The CPI-M was in the news when senior party leader and former MLA, WR Varadarajan went missing and was later found dead from a city lake.
The veteran trade unionist had allegedly committed suicide amid allegations that the party had hounded him to death by stripping him of posts following some allegations.
Raja had to face further embarrassment when it emerged that he allegedly tried to influence Madras High Court judge S Raghupathy in a criminal case involving a father-son duo.
His close aide Chandramohan was suspended by the high court, looking into the case, as chairman of the Bar council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in this matter. The matter was referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of India.
