Upset DMK mulls supporting Cong from outside

DMKs senior leader TR Balu announced to the waiting media that DMK has decided to offer support to the Cong from outside.

After being involved in days of negotiations over the allotment of ministerial berths in the next UPA Govt,Congress-DMK talks broke down in New Delhi on Thursday.

DMKs senior leader TR Balu came out of the Cong war room after day long negotiations with top Cong leaders and announced to the waiting media that DMK has decided to offer support to the Cong from outside. According to sources,Cong’ refusal to hand over the crucial Telecom and infrastructure related portfolios to the DMK was the stumbling block.

Earlier,stuck by ‘berth’ pangs,the Congress was grappling with other allies like Trinamool Congress who were doing hard negotiations to get plum portfolios as Manmohan Singh gets ready to be sworn in on Friday for a second consecutive term as Prime Minister.

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On a day of conflicting reports,the DMK with 18 MPs,the third largest constituent in the UPA coalition,was said to be demanding three Cabinet portfolios,two Ministers of State with independent charge and two at the Ministers of State level.

However,among the ‘big four’ portfolios Finance is likely to go to Pranab Mukherjee,while Home and Defence would be retained by P Chidambaram and A K Antony. There is no finality about who will bag External Affairs for which names of Kamal Nath and Kapil Sibal are doing the rounds.

DMK chief Karunanidhi’s son M K Azhagiri,his grand nephew Dayanidhi Maran and T R Baalu are among the Cabinet probable from the party while his daughter Kanimozhi is among the likely candidates for the MOS slot.

Reports said the Congress was keen to give two Cabinet berths,four MOS slots including two with independent charge. Mediators were trying to work out the final modalities of an agreement.