UPA’s southern ally, the DMK, today pulled out of the Congress-led UPA coalition at the Centre in protest against the government’s position on a US-backed United Nations resolution on alleged war crimes carried out during Sri Lanka’s civil war. Party chief M Karunanidhi announced that his party will also not provide external support to the government.
With the DMK, which has 18 MPs, exiting the government, the UPA is left at 230 members; the half-way mark being 272.
However, the UPA has outside support from Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, which has 22 MPs and Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party that has 21 MPs. In addition, four MPs from RJD, three from JD(S) and nine independent members give the UPA 59 members who provide it outside support.
