In yet another show of strength ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin has invited non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for his birthday celebrations on March 1.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party’ Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejasvi Yadav and DMK’s principal ally, Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge will be in attendance in a large public gathering in Chennai as part of the event, ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s general secretary Durai Murugan said in a statement on Tuesday.
“There is no doubt that our leader’s birthday celebrations will turn into a major event not just in Tamil Nadu but for the entire country… This will be the beginning for a change in the country’s political landscape. His birthday will mark a new dawn in India,” he added.
Recently, during the wedding ceremony of a DMK member, Stalin had said that the DMK will usher in a new dawn for the country in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, like it did by winning the 2021 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
Since Stalin took over as the CM, he has rallied for non-BJP chief ministers and opposition parties to come together against the BJP. Last February, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi released Stalin’s autobiography at an event joined by several non-BJP leaders, including Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Telangana chief minister and Bharat Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrasekar Rao, however, missed the event.
In January this year, Rao called for a non-Congress opposition to the BJP at an event attended by Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal, Vijayan, Yadav, CPI’s D Raja and DMK’s ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s head and MP Thol Thirumavalavan.
