TN political pot-boiler: DMK calls for state-wide hunger strike

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) today called for a hunger strike on Feb. 22 at all of its district offices in the State, a day after its MLAs were forcibly evicted from the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The decision was taken at a special meeting of MLAs convened by DMK Working President M.K. Stalin at the party headquarters. This comes close on the heels of Police registering an FIR against Stalin and members of the DMK for holding a protest at Marina Beach on Saturday. Speaking to the media, Stalin said he will participate in the hunger strike from Tiruchi. He added that the party MLAs are trying to meet President Pranab Mukherjee. "We’re trying to meet President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi in this regard. Have sought time to highlight the Assembly situation,” Stalin said. Meanwhile, a delegation of DMK leaders met Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao and submitted a memorandum on yesterday’s trust vote. “We’ve submitted a memorandum on the issue to TN                                    Governor; He has promised to look into the matter,” Tiruchi Siva of DMK told reporters. Sans participation of Opposition in the Assembly, the trust vote moved by the CM was passed; It is illegal, he added. Expelled from the Assembly, the DMK was denied from voting during the floor test yesterday. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami won the trust vote; 122 MLAs voted for him while 11 voted for former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam.