MONTREAL - A Quebec man is so eager to see Premier Jean Charest step down that he's taking an exceptional step to help make it happen: he's started a hunger strike.

Pablo Lugo Herrera says he's restricted his diet to tap water only since Wednesday morning, making good on an ultimatum he issued to the premier last week.

Like many Quebecers, he had hoped there might be a public inquiry into allegations of rampant corruption in the province's construction industry; he also wanted a moratorium on shale-gas development.

When the premier refused to do either of those things, he sent Charest a letter last week demanding that the premier either change his tune or resign by Wed., Feb. 2, at 8 a.m.

"I will (otherwise) start a hunger strike until you either accept the will of the people, or I succumb to my sacrifice," Lugo Herrera wrote in the letter, dated last Friday.

"If my sacrifice helps end the whims and disrespect of our politicians towards the citizens of my province, I will have died in peace. . .

"We no longer want a government that allows the principal industry of our province to be contaminated by the Mafia."

The letter was forwarded to Charest's office by a member of the opposition Parti Quebecois. However, the father of four swears he belongs to no political party and insists he bears no ill will against Charest's Liberals.

Lugo Herrera ran as an independent candidate in the last provincial election and finished in distant last place, with less than one per cent of the popular vote in his riding.

The 41-year-old Colombian immigrant, who now lives in Joliette, Que., said he's simply had it with Charest.

"I'm fed up with watching a premier start to tarnish the democracy of my province," the 140-pound man said in an interview.

"Now, if I have to give my life . . . I will keep my word. . . for the good of my province, the province which welcomed me."

Lugo Herrera adds that his wife has supported his hunger strike because, he says, she knew he was committed to fighting against social injustice when they were first married.

The family lives in a spartan apartment strewn with children's toys and family photos, about 75 kms northeast of Montreal.

A Quebec flag serves as his window curtain, above a pamphlet with the old nationalist slogan: "Le Quebec Aux Quebecois (Quebec for Quebecers)."

He has three boys and a girl, who range from 17 months to 17 years of age. Two of the children were born in Colombia, and two were born after the family arrived in Canada in 2001.

Lugo Herrera has also set up a French Facebook page dedicated to his hunger strike. It features an image of the classic literary hero to all those facing uphill battles: Don Quixote. His quest comes on the heels of a wildly popular petition demanding Charest's resignation. The online petition attracted more than 200,000 signatures within several days in November when, at one point, it was getting 40 new names per minute.

The pace of new signatures has slowed down considerably, however, with the total number having reached 247,668 as of Thursday afternoon.

Charest shot back at his detractors Thursday.

In an attempt to breathe new life into his government he has, over two days, shuffled his cabinet and replaced the most senior official in his office.

"Be really careful with those polls," Charest told reporters.

"I know where I'm going. I like what I'm doing. There are things I want to accomplish for Quebec."