DMK's MK Stalin On Hunger Strike Over Tamil Nadu Speaker's Trust Vote Decision

Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu's DMK party under the leadership of Working President MK Stalin is holding a day-long hunger strike against the events that unfolded in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on February 18, when Chief Minister E Palaniswami had to prove his majority in the House. Mr Stalin is leading the hunger strike in Tiruchirapalli, around 350 kilometres from Chennai. Other leaders are protesting in various districts. The DMK and other opposition parties on February 18 demanded either a secret ballot, or the adjournment of the assembly session by a week after Chief Minister Palaniswami moved the confidence motion. Speaker P Dhanapal had refused to accept the demand made by opposition parties. DMK leaders then sat in protest inside the assembly and were later evicted by marshals.

Chief Minister Palaniswami then went on to win the floor test after five hours of drama. Close to 100 opposition lawmakers were missing after there was violence and chaos over the demand for secret voting being declined. The DMK on Tuesday gave a letter intimating the party's decision to bring a no confidence motion against Mr Dhanapal.

Mr Palaniswami proved his majority in the assembly with 122 votes in his favour. The 11 votes against him came from the rival O Panneerselvam camp that calls itself the real AIADMK.

The voting had taken place after 88 DMK members were evicted and the Congress' eight walked out in protest. There were multiple adjournments of the state assembly amid chaos as DMK legislators broke chairs and a table, yanked out mics and surrounded and heckled the Speaker, P Dhanapal.

The Speaker also alleged that he was "tortured" by opposition legislators, who tore his shirt. When marshals had tried to escort Mr Dhanapal out, DMK members pulled him back to his chair. One DMK legislator even sat on the Speaker's chair in protest.

Mr Stalin had emerged from the assembly with his shirt torn and said that marshals had caused injuries while evicting him. He also alleged that his party's legislators were assaulted by the marshals. He later protested along with hundreds of DMK workers at the Marina Beach.

E Palaniswami, who became Chief Minister because Ms Sasikala couldn't after being convicted for corruption, said with his government winning the confidence vote in the Tamil Nadu assembly, a vow taken the party chief had been fulfilled. He then visited the memorials of party founder MG Ramachandran and former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, where party workers shouted slogans of "Chinnama Vaazhga," hailing Ms Sasikala.

The trust vote was probably the first of many battles that the 63-year-old Chief Minister might have to fight. Former chief minister O Panneerselvam has promised that he had lost the battle, not the war, and said he would go back to the people.

(with inputs from IANS)