DMK considers pulling out of UPA government

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (DMK) is considering pulling out its ministers from the central council of ministers even as rival Jayalalitha is all set to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

DMK, however, is unlikely to withdraw support for the Government as doing so may bring it down and result in a nation-wide general election. DMK feels that it will certainly lose most, if not all of the 18 seats that it has in the Lok Sabha at present. AIADMK, Jayalalitha’s party, has only 9 seats in the Lok Sabha.

Besides, a BJP government will almost certainly be harsher on the DMK during its prosecution of the 2G scam investigation compared to the Congress-led UPA.

Karunanidhi is personally known to have come round to the opinion that at least the ministers must be withdrawn from the Cabinet, but both his sons, including fertilizer minister Azhagiri, are opposed to the move.

Besides Azhagiri and textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran in the Cabinet, DMK has another three minister of states (junior ministers) in the central council of ministers.

The emergency meeting of the DMK top leadership is continuing in Chennai and is expected to get over by around 4 pm.


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