DMK President MK Stalin on Saturday said the party has decided to hold protests at various district headquarters on September 18 against the AIADMK-led state government. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of party district secretaries and lawmakers, Stalin said that the protests were aimed at targeting the "misrule" of the government.

He added that the DMK demands the dismissal of the gutkha scam-tainted Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and Director General of Police (DGP) TK Rajendran.

Stalin said the party also adopted a resolution urging the state government to call a Cabinet meeting and pass a resolution to release the seven convicts in the late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. He said Governor Banwarilal Purohit should immediately order the release of the seven convicts based on the resolution.

A bandh is also set to affect the state on Monday with the Congress calling for a Bharat Bandh over the rising fuel prices. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK, MDMK and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have extended their support for the bandh.

Fuel prices in the country have been on the rise over the past few months and have almost touched Rs 90 per litre in major cities. While Opposition parties led by the Congress plan to organise a bandh on September 10, Left parties have given a separate call for bandh on the same day. According to reports, Congress has also asked NGOs and civil society groups to join the bandh which will be held from 9 am to 3 pm on Monday.

The bandh was finalised in a meeting between top Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Ashok Gehlot, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, NCP’s Tariq Anwar and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav.