DMK withdraws support to UPA government

CHENNAI: The DMK on Saturday withdrew support to the UPA government after failing to reach a seat-sharing pact with the Congress for the TN assembly elections.

"We are compelled to suspect that these are all the efforts by Congress to remove us from the UPA. Under these circumstances we have to think whether to continue in the government," says Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi.

DMK will provide only issue-based support to the UPA Government. DMK resolution says Congress does not want us to continue in the alliance. Their attitude clearly shows this, says the resolution.

The Congress stand surprises us, says M Karuanidhi at the DMK high-level meeting. The Congress stand does not help for an amicable poll accord, the resolution says.

Earlier in the day, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the Congress-DMK talks over seat sharing for the Tamil Nadu elections had run into rouble but claimed the issue will be resolved. "We have problems but problems will be solved," Mukherjee told reporters

The Congress reportedly wants to contest 63 of the 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, which goes to the polls April 13. The state's ruling DMK is reluctant to concede this many seats.