The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's decision on Saturday to withdraw from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and extend only issue-based support from outside took the ruling Congress by surprise. This was even though the Congress leadership, aware of its strained relationship with the southern party, had rushed Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to Chennai to talk to the DMK leadership.
The tension had begun with the sacking of the DMK's A. Raja as Telecom Minister and his subsequent arrest, and it escalated when the Congress demanded more seats to contest in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections than the DMK was prepared to part with.
Congress sources told The Hindu that they hoped it was only a case of political brinkmanship on the part of the DMK and that the problems over seat-sharing would be sorted out over the next few days at the highest level in the Congress. The official response was guarded. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said there was “no need to comment” on the issue. “This [has happened] in the middle of negotiations, and unnecessary press comments will muddy the waters,” he said.
However, party sources said they were concerned that the DMK had taken this extreme step; for, if the DMK continued to stay out of the government, the possibility of its withdrawing the support of its 18 MPs would become a clear and present danger, forcing the Congress to start looking for a more reliable alternative ally to stay afloat in Delhi.
