New Delhi, Sep 26: DMK chief M Karunanidhi has reportedly declined Manmohan Singh's offer of two additional berths in the union cabinet. The offer was believed to be made by the minister of state in PMO V narayansamy who met DMK Chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai on Tuesday, reports Times of India.
According to sources, Karunanidhi declined to accept the offer of additional cabinet berths keeping in mind the party view that UPA is getting unpopular among masses with recent harsh decisions like increase in Diesel prices and cap on LPG cylinders.
Congress made this offer to DMK in the wake of Mamata's withdrawal of support to the UPA government. After the exit of Trinamool Congress, DMK is the largest ally of Congress with 18 MPs. TMC had 19 members in Loksabha.
Presently DMK has only one cabinet minister- M K Alagiri. Besides Alagiri, DMK has four ministers of state in the union cabinet - S S Palanimanickam, S Gandhiselvan, S. Jagathratchagan and D Napoleon.
When UPA II was formed DMK was given three cabinet and 4 MOS berths in the cabinet. Two of the three cabinet ministers, A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, had to resign on serious corruption charges. Now M K Alagiri is the only cabinet level DMK representative in the government.
Karunanidhi feared that if he accepts Congress offer of more cabinet berths, his party will be further targeted by AIADMK for being party to the anti-poor decisions of the central government and DMK could face the wrath of the people in upcoming elections.
