New Delhi, Jan 12: PMK is the third party from Tamil Nadu and at least the seventh from all over the country which has pulled out of the BJP-led NDA government in its over four year long tenure. The parting of ways by PMK, which has four members in the Lok Sabha, has come a few days after DMK and MDMK snapped ties with the ruling alliance at the Centre to form a secular progressive front in Tamil Nadu along with Congress.

Other parties which have come out of coalition included BSP led by Mayawati, National Conference, Ajit Singh led RLD and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Jan Shakti.
The decision by PMK, whose support base mainly includes the Vanniyar community in northern Tamil Nadu, came hours after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared in Hyderabad that the new government would be in place by April.

BSP had extended outside support to the government and withdrew it last year after the breakup of BSP-BJP alliance in Uttar Pradesh leading to Mayawati losing the post of chief minister in the wake of the Taj corridor controversy.
Lok Jan Shakti had parted ways with NDA in the aftermath of the Godhra violence while the NC left the ruling alliance following its defeat in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls.

Bureau Report