Despite DMK pullout, UPA will not lose majority

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is in no danger of losing majority at the Centre even if the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) pulls out of the government.

With 18 members of the Lok Sabha, DMK is the third largest constituent of the UPA after Congress and Trinamool Congress.

While Congress has 207 MPs, Trinamool Congress is 19-member strong.

Other constituents of the UPA are Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (9 members), National Conference (3), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) (2) and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) (1 each).

Without the 18-member DMK, the strength of the UPA comes down to 242 from 260. The magic number of simple majority in the 543-member Lok Sabha is 272.

The Congress-led coalition has a cushion available in the form of several parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BSP which provide outside support. SP has 22 members and BSP 21. Jaya Prada is an expelled member of the SP and is seen as a member supporting the UPA.

Besides, four-member RJD, three-member JD-S are also outside supporters.

With the outside support of these parties, the strength of the Congress-led UPA minus the DMK stands at 311, well past the magic figure of 272.

DMK has been with the Congress-led UPA since 2004 and has been generally been a dependable ally for the ruling party at the Centre.