New Delhi, 20th March: Three DMK ministers met Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh on Wednesday and submitted their resignation. Before that the ministers have already pulled out their support from the Central government. Two ministers are yet to meet the PM.
SS Palanimackam, S Gandhiselvan and S Jagatrakshakan put in their papers. MK Alagiri and D Napolean will submit their resignations separately.
SP (22) and BSP (21) were among the crucial outside supporters (57). Both the parties said they will support the government and there was no threat to its stability.
Said to reporters after submitting his resignation, senior DMK leader TR Balu said, “The Prime Minister accepted our resignation.” On being asked as to why all the five ministers had not put in their papers in one go he categorically said that there was not division within the party.
Yesterday, TR Baalu and four other members of the DMK, which had earlier in the day announced that it was pulling out of the Cabinet and the coalition, met President Pranab Mukherjee at 10.30 pm and handed over the letter withdrawing support of its 18 MPs to the UPA government.
The senior DMK leader had also ruled out any reconsideration of the withdrawal of support, a move that makes the government vulnerable despite its assertions of having a Parliamentary majority.
Sending the Congress in a tizzy, DMK chief Karunanidhi, addressing a press conference in Chennai had announced that it was pulling out from UPA over the resolution against Sri Lanka in UNHRC. He had also said that there was no point in giving outside support to the Central government.
With the DMK pullout, the strength of the UPA in the Lok Sabha has been reduced to 224 but it enjoys the support of 281 MPs that include those of outside supporting parties. The Lok Sabha has 539 MPs at present as four seats are vacant. The half-way mark is 270.
The DMK had been pressing the UPA government that India should push for amendments to a US-sponsored resolution in UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) so that it calls for an independent international probe into “genocide” of Sri Lankan Tamils. The party also wants a resolution by Indian
Parliament on the issue.
the announcement DMK chief M Karunanidhi had left open a window for reconsidering the decision by stating that it was “ready” to reconsider its decision if Parliament adopts a resolution before March 21 taking the party’s demands on board. The Geneva-based UNHRC is due to vote a resolution against Sri Lanka on March 21
Bureau Report
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