Now I think media has taken the mantle of showing a bias against the DMK because they( Maran) had the guts to actually take on media on NDTV , I feel this whole thing whether it is Congis or DMK all are into making money and giving freebies and populist measures for the poor . So instead of showing only DMK in bad light they shd also give a balanced view of Congis.The Congis are doing these measures ( supposedly) legitimately by introducing NREGA and giving food at lower rate , the same DMK is doing by giving money for votes and promsing free bies for poor for food. So what is different in both schemes, In both cases, you are wooing the voters and making sure that poor become poorer and dependent on government instead of doing somehting to enhance their way of life by learning new skills and putting tem to use for earning.In case of Congis they are looting the national treasury while DMK has no option but to make money on their ministries.

Yeah ..tats rite decision.they r expecting the ministeries for looting and ofcourse if one seat is provided to anyone of the member and of course other in the party will protest [alagiri and thananithi]they know in last government they looted as manyas they can..

In Tamilnadu DMK contested only 21 seats and won 18,lost only 3. Kalainger given 15 seats to congress and they won 8 and lost 7. In india Kalainger only given half of the seats to congress no other state like given the same

The title is not a third class comment. What Indian Express thinks about themself?

The same Karunanidhi was fasting just 10 days back for cause of tamilians and when the news of the LTTE head being killed was announced, he did not had the sense to pressurise for rehabilitating people in the war zone. These guys are just for berths for their family, such a shame, wait for another election and the fate of this party will be same as that of RJD, LJP, Left, BJP, JDS, BSP, SP in this current election, it will be total wash out. Media also does not help to expose this type of shameless behaviour. Put a strong message on your front page with just "SHAME SHAME POLITICIANS", and do not publish anything in the page, send the message strongly

It is disgusting to know that parties are bargaining for only certain ministries.Obvious reason is to "loot"as much as possible during their tenure.What a shame?! These are the MPs who will serve poor and needy?I think DMK can be given a special Cabinet berth only to be stationed in Mullaithivu,SriLanka for 5 years to carve out a Tamil Elam.How's that ?

Excellent headline! With ideology having been replaced by shameless nepotism, DMK should replace the Dravida in their name with Dynasty.

DMK Karunanidhi has never written a script like this to save Tamils

Allocation of portfolios no longer appears the prerogative of the Prime Minister. Instead it is determined by the bargaining power of the regional parties. In the process, we don’t know what kind of ministers we get. It is not known why specific portfolios are demanded. Does it indicate the ability of the MP concerned to handle the ministry concerned or the resources of the ministry and the opportunity to siphon from that? Openly demanding high resource ministry suggests the latter. How far the politicians are concerned to serve the people is a question. Whenever political alliances are formed to fight the election, it would be better to clearly put down all the conditions of cooperation well before the polls so that the kind of bargaining and acrimony we see now. Coalition politics appears harmful to the balanced growth of the country. Moving towards a two- party system or may be a three- party system should the goal of the country for a healthy and just democracy. Such a system would also unite the country better.

Your biased Title itself indicates how much you are against the DMK. Without the DMK the Congress could not have secured even a single seat in the last elections. Even most of its leaders had to bite the dust. If the local Congress leaders think too much of themselves then why not they have ties with Ms. J.Jayalalithaa who made their leader Ms. Sonia Gndhi, to wait in vain during the 1999 Lok Sabha election campaign at Dindivanam.

DMK has little options left even though it is flexing its muscles now and bargaining hard. It might have to ultimately come around as the numbers are stacked up in such a manner that alternatives are nil. Moreover, the DMK is heavily dependent on the Congress at the State level and its Government derives oxygen from it. As much as it wishes to blackmail, it cannot go beyond a level. Karunanidhi's compulsions are that he wants to reward his siblings as well as the favourites in his Party. But the problem is that a resurgent Congress with over 206 seats is now setting terms to its allies wherein the complexion has vastly changed from 2004.

This is completely insane. Is that all his family or are they anyone else, the pm might as well vacate for someone from his family.

Let their be proportionate representation.The (maximum) percentage norm for deciding size of the cabinet should be applied to all parties supporting the Congress party.For example if the norm is that total percentage number is 12% of the strength of Lok Sabha the Congress party may give only 12% of the seats won to allies by retaining the major share for itself.The Congress should also retain/allocate important and sensitive portfolios.Moreover only one person shpould be appointed from one family.It is good of Congress that two controversial ministers of previous cabinet have been ordered to be sidelined so far as participating in ministrial responsibilities is concerned.

Mr M.K wants seats for Kanimozhi, Daya and his notorious rowdy son M.K.Azhagiri. Why did M.K asked Daya to down from power?! He is making the voted public fools!! Good not to give any seats to DMK

India needs good leaders. Only Dayanaidhi Maran is a performer. If Karunanidhi thinks that his son and daughter are to be accommodated in view of his grand nephew being there, then this senior politician is being unfair and not justified. These two will be worst than Baalu and Raja.

Now DMK demand for Family Berths it is time for Congress to demand for 6 cabinet ministers in the Tamil Nadu Governementas itis the Congress Party in spite of demand for theirparticipating from local congressmen for the past three years.

The roadblocks to government formation created by DMK are indications of Indian politics is going back to anti-Congressism, which historially has benefitted all non Congress entitities across the board. The way the negotiations are reported seem to convey that negotiation for govt. formation are bi-dimensional in the sense that they are between Congress and other pre and post poll UPA partners but multi-dimensional in which possibly left, fourth front and even BJP and other NDA constituents are participents albeit informally and probably influencing decision making. Congress "war room" should have realised that it ought to have used it's limited patronage power to achieve such a cabinet composition as would enable it to play one UPA constituent against another without looking like a big brother, which causes heartburns. Certainly, coalition politics is more "CHANAKYAN" than puritan. But going ons are not much damaging to clean image of new Congress and shows DMK as power hungry.

Again the tail wagging the dog ! Or the tail threatening to detach from the dog ? After a a role model of an election winning accolades the world over , India's democracy is already showing chinks in its strenghths . The GOP facing a black-mail situation from its allies. Its time the winning party does not sacrifice all that they have gained as decent politics , by succumbimg to unreasonable demands and accept non-performers or corrupt politicians back into ministerial chairs . Wither the biggest democracy in the world , finally forming a lame-duck government. Incredible India!!!!

it makes all the more sence to have a two party system like us.all these regional parties will ultimately make the country weak poorer.one does not have to be a minister to serve the country.this is unfortunate in country with histoy of gandhi and kamaraj.finally i have to congratulate indian people for defeating the communist party which opposed the nuclear import from us.good to have a honest and efficient leaders like manmohan sing in office

good that we will not see one or two tainted heads in the cabinet. however, only if same attitude is adopted towards other allies from the north. god bless the country.

MMS should keep out these greedy

Why not? Before election,Eveyone reject Cong except DMK and TCP, Infact DMK gave 16 to Cong which was too-much.

With the strength of 18 MPs, DMK is rightfully entitled for 18 ministerial berths and additionally several MoS berths. Whereas it has demanded only 8 berths. Congress should acknowledge this magnanimous offer by DMK and accommodate their wishes. If all this is not enough, Karunanidhi has made one more generous offer - only three of his family members to be made cabinet ministers (in all, he has around 73 close relatives from 3 or 4 wives of his and he could have asked all of them to be accommodated in the central cabinet, but he didn't). That DMK is not willing to share power with Congress at state level is not relevant to this matter and it is unfair and outright mischievous if anyone attempts to make any connection between these two. By the way, is outside support so horrible?who said it is the prerogative of the prime minister to select his council of ministers? Any one who quotes the constitution on this question is a mischief monger.

dmk thinks they are kings of chennai but congress is already a party of emperors and empresses as per our mercenary media.what is the future of this country forget astrologers even god has no info about it.

DMK should not be given even one ministerial berth.They are anti Hindu and most corrupt family.