TMC set to formally break ties with UPA tomorrow

With the Centre not in a mood to yield to her demands for withdrawing the decisions on diesel, LPG cylinders and FDI, Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said in Kolkata that her party's six ministers will submit their resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.

"We have already taken a collective decision. Our ministers will submit their resignation. Commitment is commitment. We have also sought an appointment with the honourable President tomorrow, if he gives time," she said in an apparent reference to plans to give a letter of withdrawal of support of 19 MPs to the government.

Trinamool has six ministers, including one of Cabinet rank, in the UPA government.

Banerjee said there is no room for negotiations on the issue of FDI in retail and ruled out going to Delhi for any talks with the Congress leadership.

After Trinamool's withdrawal of support, the UPA government's support in Lok Sabha will come down from 273 to 254 and the coalition will be heavily dependent on Samajwadi Party (22) and BSP (21) for its majority in the House.

For a simple majority, government needs the support of at least 273 MPs in a House of 545.

But the government remained unperturbed over any threat to its stability following Trinamool's decision.

"We had enough friends yesterday, we have enough friends today. So, I don't think why you should doubt our stability," Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters in Delhi.

Asked whether the government would look for new allies, he said," If we can acquire new friends, why would we not." (More)