JOIN USThe magazine also posted transcripts of Radia’s conversations with other celebrity journalists, such as Barkha Dutt of the NDTV, Jaideep Bose, Rahul Joshi and G Ganapathy Subramaniam of “The Economic Times” and V Shankar Aiyar, who was formerly with the “India Today”.
Mediator
According to the transcripts of the new tapes, Sanghvi, then an editorial director of the HT Media Ltd, kept Radia posted about his talks with Ahmed Patel–political secretary of Congress president Sonia Gandhi – over the DMK’s representation in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s cabinet. Sanghvi appears to be talking in first person while referring to the Congress’ offer for the DMK.
“As far as we’re concerned there is two wives, one brother, one sister, one nephew. it’s all got very complicated for us. We’ve made a basic offer, if Karunanidhi responds to us and tell this that he would like to respond directly, he would like to talk to Ms Gandhi. He spoke only to Manmohan Singh. We would be more than happy but we’re not going to chase them now. We’ve told (Dayanidhi) Maran that also they’ve to come back to us and tell us what they think of our offer. And apparently the DMK is getting very bad press in Chennai,” he was quoted as telling Radia in one of the conversations they had during the stand-off between the Congress and DMK over the composition of the Union Cabinet.
Radia and Sanghvi discussed about Maran attempting to get plum portfolios for him.
Radia told Sanghvi: “So, I believe Maran has given about 600 crores to Dayalu (one of Karunanidhi’s wives), Stalin’s mother.”
Vir Sanghvi: 600 Crores, okay?
Niira Radia: 600 Crores, is what I’m told.
Vir Sanghvi: It’s hard to argue with that kind of pressure.