His party plans to bring together leaders of anti-BJP opposition parties on one platform to mark the 93rd birth anniversary of Karunanidhi on June 3
Amid efforts to field a common opposition candidate in the upcoming Presidential polls, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) plans to bring together leaders of anti-BJP opposition parties on one platform on June 3 to celebrate the 93rd birthday of party chief M Karunanidhi, as well as the diamond jubilee of his entry into the Assembly.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI national secretary D. Raja, chief ministers of Bihar and Odisha Nitish Kumar and Naveen Patnaik, besides other chief ministers and top national leaders are expected take part in the celebrations, Karunanidhi's son and DMK working president MK Stalin said.
The coming together of Opposition leaders assumes significance since Sonia Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury had initiated dialogues with non-BJP party leaders to field a common candidate for the Presidential polls.
Kanimozhi, the younger daughter of Karunanidhi, called on Sonia Gandhi on Saturday to invite her for the event. Stalin said that he had spoken over the phone to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar after Kanimozhi met him in Patna on Friday. He added that he had also spoken to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerje who, he said, has promised to depute her party leader if she is unable to attend due to a prior engagement.
DMK sources said that RJP president Lalu Prasad Yadav, NCP president Sharad Pawar, Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah are also expected to be present.
Political observers in the state say the event will also mark the emergence of Stalin from his father's shadow. In the last couple of weeks, Stalin has adopted a strident anti-BJP stand, and has lashed out at the Narendra Modi government for various issues ranging from attempts to impose Hindi to using of Central agencies to create political instability in Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi has not made any public appearances since October last year, largely due to his ill-health.
Analysis
The move to invite anti-BJP leaders in in sync with Stalin's recent comments against the BJP-led central government
The octogenarian Karunanidhi has not made any public appearances since October 2016, largely because of his ill-heath
Stalin's personal involvement in inviting national leaders suggest he is ready to come out of his father's shadow.
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