DMK to stay out of Govt for now

New Delhi, May 22 (PTI) The Dravida Munnetra Kazhgham,
a key pre-poll ally of the Congress, will stay out of India's
new government at least for now, providing outside support
following a deadlock in negotiations with Congress over
portfolios.

DMK supremo and Chief Minister of southern state Tamil
Nadu, M Karunandhi told reporters before leaving for Chennai
with other party leaders Friday morning that the party has
decided to give outside support.

Karunanidhi said the Congress has given a formula on
ministerial allocation but he cannot give his views as an
individual as the DMK's executive will discuss and decide on
the issue after which only the party would say something.

Manmohan Singh, who will be sworn in as Prime Minister
this evening, is expected to keep the portfolios proposed for
DMK with himself till a settlement is reached.

A meeting of the DMK executive has already been
convened in Chennai Friday which will discuss the deadlock in
the talks between the party and Congress on ministerial berth
allocation.

On Thursday after several rounds of discussions in the
last two days, the party announced that the Congress formula
on ministerial allocation was not acceptable to it and the
party would give only outside support.

There are various versions of what the DMK has
demanded and what the Congress has agreed to give. Among them
are that the party wanted cabinet berths for Karunanidhi's son
M K Azhagiri, daughter Kanimozhi and grand nephew Dayanadhi
Maran besides T R Baalu and A Raja apart from ministers of
state berths for some others.

Congress spokesman Janardhan Dwivedi had Thursday
night reacted that the DMK was asking for too much and they
should be more reasonable.

Sources said the Prime Minister was said to be against
inclusion of Baalu and Raja, a stand the DMK is said to be
resisting.

Congress sources said that party president Sonia
Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had discussions till
early hours this morning and decided to renegotiate with DMK.

Gandhi and Singh also made calls to DMK chief M
Karunanidhi late Thursday night in their last ditch attempt to
mollify the Dravidian leader.

During the meeting at PM's residence, the Congress
President took stock of the situation after DMK bargained hard
for more berths in the Union council of ministers

The DMK is learnt to have demanded portfolios like
shipping, surface transport, communications and environment.

Sonia and Singh discussed names from both Congress and
its pre-poll allies for cabinet berths and allocation of
portfolios to the council of ministers.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to be sworn
in by President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhawan at 6.30
pm IST Friday. PTI ETB
PMR