Palaniswami as CM: DMK on hunger strike across Tamil Nadu, Madras HC adjourns Stalin’s plea till Monday

Working president of the party, MK Stalin, is participating in the strike from Tiruchirappalli.

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DMK Working President MK Stalin addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Chennai (PTI Photo)

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) began its day-long hunger strike at all its district offices across Tamil Nadu on Wednesday to protest against the eviction of its MLAs from the Assembly and demand a fresh trust vote. Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami won the trust vote against O Pannerselvam on February 18 after Speaker P Dhanapal evicted the DMK MLAs. Party’s working president MK Stalin is leading the strike from Trichy.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court adjourned till Monday the party’s petition challenging the vote of confidence won by Palanisamy in the Assembly. The court also asked the petitioners to submit a video of the ruckus in the Assembly.

WATCH VIDEO | MK Stalin Sits On Hunger Strike Against Trust Vote

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Read: DMK moves Madras High Court challenging Saturday’s trust vote

The decision to sit on a hunger strike came after a special meeting of MLAs was convened by Stalin at the party headquarters in Chennai on Sunday. The meeting was held after police filed an FIR against members of the party for holding a protest on Marina Beach the previous day. The police said the FIR was filed for unlawful assembly and violation of public order.

“DMK staged the protest without obtaining prior permission as required under law”, a senior police official told news agency PTI. Apart from Stalin, 63 MLAs, three MPs and several from the DMK cadre, who participated in the protest, are named in the FIR, the official added.

WATCH VIDEO | 5 Things To Know About Edappadi Palanisami

A special session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly was held on February 18 for Palaniswani to prove majority on the floor. He won an easy trust vote 122-11 (to O Panneerselvam), aided by the eviction of main opposition DMK and walkout by its allies.

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Calling it a “black day in democracy”, Stalin told the media that DMK MLAs are trying to meet President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi to highlight the Assembly situation. He also urged Governor Vidyasagar Rao to “nullify” the trust vote.

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