Eyebrows were raised as Alagiri and D Napoleon did not go along with other three ministers S S Palanimanickam, S Gandhiselvan and S Jagatrakshakan to submit their resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at around noon at his Parliament House office.
Alagri along with Napoleon met Singh an hour later to tender their resignation fuelling speculation that he had reservations about how the decision was taken by the party.
Alagiri was holding the chemicals and fertilisers portfolio with Cabinet rank. Napoleon, Palani Manickam, Jagatrakshakan and Gandhi Selvan were ministers of state.
"As per the decision taken by Kalaignar Karunanidhi, we have handed over the resignation letter to the Prime Minister," DMK Parliamentary Party leader T R Baalu told reporters.
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Asked whether the party will join BJP-led NDA, Baalu, who accompanied three ministers to meet Prime Minister, said, "No...Never". Karunanidhi has ruled out outside support to the UPA Government.
"Our government is not supporting the cause of our eelam Tamil (Sri Lankan Tamil). So, I took this decision," he told reporters.
Baalu had met the President last night to hand over letter of DMK ending its alliance with the UPA.
DMK, which was the second biggest constituent in UPA, quit the UPA in protest against government not taking up its concerns in the proposed UN resolution against Sri Lanka on alleged human rights violations of Tamils there.