President accepts resignation of DMK ministers

President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday accepted the resignation of five ministers belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance government on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

"The President of India, as advised by the prime minister, has accepted the resignation of the following members of the Union council of ministers with immediate effect," a Rashtrapati Bhavan release said, naming the DMK representatives in the Union ministry.

Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers M K Alagiri, Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare S Gandhiselvan, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry S Jagathrakshakan and Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment D Nepoleon, had submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.   

Srikant Jena shall be given independent charge of the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers as minister of state, in addition to independent charge of the ministry of statistics and programme implementation as minister of state, the release said.

The DMK ministers put in their papers after the party withdrew support to the UPA government over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.