P Chidambaram on DMK pullout: UPA govt stable despite 'mild storm at sea'

The day after the DMK pulled out of the UPA, Union Ministers Kamal Nath, P Chidambaram and Manish Tewari hold press meet to explain the government's stand on the UN resolution against Sri Lanka and the withdrawal of its ally from the government.

On being asked whether DMK pullout caused Indian stock markets to crash, FM P Chidambaram said that is not true. He added, "What caused markets to react negatively were news emanating from Cyprus and also due to RBI interest rate moves".

An hour after the meet the drama over resignation continued with DMK member Vasanthi Stanley fainting in Rajya Sabha while protesting on Sri Lankan Tamil issue -she was rushed to hospital.

A while later three DMK Ministers -- S S Palanimackam, S Gandhiselvan, S Jagatrakshakan - submit their resignation to PM.

M K Alagiri and D Napolean also submitted their resignations later.

Unfazed by the DMK's withdrawal of support to the UPA, government today asserted it was "absolutely stable" and not a "lame duck" and said it will move amendments to the resolution on Sri Lanka at UNHRC to send a "resolute message" on that country's human rights.

The government fielded three senior ministers -- P Chidambaram, Kamal Nath and Manish Tewari -- before the media to insist that DMK's demands were in the process of being considered and wondered why the ally changed its position after promising to reconsider its decision to withdraw support. The UPA's second biggest constituent with 18 Lok Sabha MPs quit the alliance yesterday.

With questions being raised about the stability of the government, Kamal Nath, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, firmly said, "We are not a lame duck government."

"The government is neither lame nor is it a duck. We are absolutely stable. No political party has come out to challenge our majority," he said.

... contd.

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