Karunanidhi pledges support for Indian Congress Govt [September 27 2008]

The ruling party in India's Tamil Nadu state dropped a threat to resign from the national Parliament after Sri Lanka gave assurances civilians will be protected during its offensive to capture the headquarters of Tamil Tiger rebels. Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam won't ``precipitate any problem'' in the coalition government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Doordarshan cited Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee as saying late yesterday after talks with the state's Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Earlier this month, 37 Tamil lawmakers said they would resign from the 541-member lower house within two weeks unless the government pressed Sri Lanka to halt its military offensive. Tamil support was crucial to Singh's 19-vote margin of victory in a confidence motion in July.