Jaya describes Thursday's general strike as "farce and drama"

Describing tomorrow's 12-hour general strike in Tamil Nadu, called by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi demanding a permanent ceasefire in Sri Lanka, as "a farce and a drama", AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said her party will not participate in it and would go ahead with its scheduled poll campaign tomorrow.

"When the entire world is demanding an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi has called for a state-wide strike. The situation in Sri Lanka is very grim and if the Chief
Minister is unable to pressurise the Centre now to ensure a permanent solution to the Tamil issue, when will he able to do so?", she said in a statement .

The Supreme Court has previously held that general strikes are illegal, she said and asked whether the strike would in any way help achieve a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.

The strike would cause hindrances to people in the state, she said.