Trying to meet President Mukherjee: Stalin as DMK calls for hunger strike

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Feb. 19 (ANI): As the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) announced that it will hold a hunger strike on February 22 in all district offices of the party in Tamil Nadu, party president M.K. Stalin on Sunday said he will participate in the strike from Tiruchi, adding that the party members are trying to meet President Pranab Mukherjee. "I will participate in Tiruchi for the hunger strike on Feb 22. We're trying to meet President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi on this regard; Have sought time to highlight the Assembly situation," Stalin told the media here. The decision was taken after the party MLAs met at their headquarters and DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said the trust vote moved by Chief Minister yesterday was 'illegal'. Meanwhile, a delegation of DMK leaders met Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and submitted a memorandum on Saturday'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 news agency ANI. Sans participation of Opposition in the assembly, the trust vote moved by CM was passed; It's illegal, he added. A day after DMK leaders, including MK Stalin, protested against forceful eviction of party MLAs from the Tamil Nadu Assembly and alleged mistreatment of its working party president, police have registered an FIR against Stalin for his party's protest at Marina Beach. Stalin and other Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders were earlier detained by police on Saturday from the beach and subsequently let off after signing an undertaking. E. Palaniswami won the vote of confidence in the Assembly on Saturday amid ruckus and the Speaker expelling DMK leaders from the House. While 122 AIADMK MLAs supported him, only 11 voted against him. (ANI)