Ministers to resign Monday, no hope of patch-up: DMK
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agency

Chennai, March 06 2011: A day after announcing it was pulling out of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the DMK Sunday said its six ministers will submit their resignations Monday and it did not expect the Congress to approach it for a patch-up.

Speaking to reporters here, senior party leader and Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister M.K.Alagiri said the DMK does not expect Congress to come to it for patching up the relationship.

According to him, the break-up with the Congress will not affect his party's poll prospects.

Former union minister T.R.Baalu told reporters that the ministers will tender their resignations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The DMK has two cabinet ministers - Alagiri and Minister for Textiles Dayanidhi Maran - and four junior ministers - S.S.Palanimanickam (Finance), S.Jagathrakshakan (Information and Broadcasting), D.Napolean (Social Justice and Empowerment) and S.Gandhiselvan (Health and Family Welfare).

Tamil Nadu's ruling party Saturday pulled out of the UPA government after failure to reach a seat-sharing pact with the Congress for the April 13 polls to the 234-member state assembly.

A DMK statement said that it will now give 'issue-based support' to the UPA government.

The DMK has 18 Lok Sabha MPs.According to Baalu, the Congress has not approached the DMK after the latter's decision to withdraw unconditional support.

Meanwhile, PMK president G.K.Mani said Sunday that Congress' absence will not affect the poll prospects of the DMK-led front.

On Sunday, the PMK submitted a list of constituencies that it would like to contest from.

The party will contest from 31 constituencies as part of the DMK-led front.

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