Outside support offered

Three key regional allies of the Congress party in Tamil Nadu have decided to stay out of the Congress-led coalition.

But Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and MDMK (Marumalarchi DMK) have offered to support the government from outside.

A resolution passed at the executive committee meeting of the DMK said that it would decide on whether the join the government "only after giving the new government under Sonia Gandhi sufficient time and after monitoring its performance."

But it did not specify any timeframe for the monitoring or its decision.

However, DMK president Muthuvel Karunanidhi made it clear that the party would support the government from outside, "We will extend our fullest support to ensure the stability of the Sonia Gandhi ministry."