DMK to protest against Palaniswami govt

Calls for public support on protest against V K Sasikala-led AIADMK

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the second largest party in Tamil Nadu, is launching a drive to mobilise public opinion against the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, in response to the fracas in the Assembly during the vote of confidence.

DMK Working President, M K Stalin, said that the party will hold fasts across the state on February 22 as part of the protests, and called for all those opposed to the government, which is allegedly controlled by AIADMK party General Secretary V K Sasikala and family, to join.

On Saturday, all DMK MLAs were forcefully expelled from the Assembly ahead of the voting, following the ruckus they made, asking the speaker to conduct a secret ballot or allow those AIADMK MLAs who were allegedly kept captive in a resort, to visit their constituencies before the confidence motion. The speaker rejected both demands, following which there was chaos in the Assembly and the DMK MLAs were physically carried out by marshals and others.

"I would request all those who don't want to see that family in power, can join us regardless their political associations," said Stalin. DMK has filed a complaint with the Madras High Court challenging the proceedings happened in the Assembly on February 18, on the day of the confidence motion. The Court is expected to take up the matter on Tuesday, he added.