New Delhi : After formally withdrawing support to the Central government, the DMK ministers will submit their resignations to the Prime Minister on Wednesday. Of the five DMK ministers, M K Alagiri is of Cabinet rank.
Yesterday, TR Baalu and four other members of the DMK, which 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.
“Who said there is a window of resolution? After having submitted the letter of withdrawal of support, where is the window of resolution,” Baalu had said in response to reporters’ questions.
DMK has also given notice for the matter to be brought up in Parliament today.
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.
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.
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.
However, in making 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.