By IANS
Chennai : Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran, who resigned from the cabinet, said Monday he would not become a minister again, even if he was offered, but insisted he would always remain a "DMK man".
Addressing a press conference here, Maran claimed that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were "a little upset" at his resignation.
He said he would meet the two leaders later Monday to "thank them for the opportunity" he was given to "serve India, particularly Tamil Nadu".
He, however, asserted that he would not "ask for a re-instatement".
Maran added: "I won't take a minister's position now, even if I am offered one."
Asked if he would consider joining the Congress, he said: "I was born a DMK man, I am still a DMK man and, will die a sympathiser even if I am expelled."
He declared that Karunanidhi was his leader. "I will do whatever my leader wants. If he wants me to leave the ministry, I will. If he wants me to quit the party, I will. If he does not want me to contest an election again, I won't."
Maran said he was saddened by "accusations of anti-party activities levelled" against him. "It is a huge accusation. I can't understand what anti-party activities I have indulged in."
Maran then listed his achievements as communications and IT minister, saying he had attracted investments worth Rs.2.8 trillion of FDI investment to India, and a large chunk of it had gone to Tamil Nadu.
He said that he had planned to introduce uniform roaming charges on Karunanidhi's birthday June 3. He now hoped his successor would carry it out, apart from other plans of the ministry.
Maran refused to comment on the DMK-led violence in Madurai and the attack on the family-run Dinakaran newspaper earlier this week.
"I have nothing to do with Dinakaran or Sun Television," he said.