Remarks could cast cloud on BJP’s participation in Karunanidhi’s memorial, scheduled for 30 August.
Bengaluru: New DMK president M.K. Stalin Tuesday made it clear that his party had no intention of allying with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) either for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections or the 2021 assembly polls.
“Let us teach the Narendra Modi government a lesson. Let us throw out the corrupt government in Tamil Nadu today,” he said during his first address after formally taking over from his father, the late DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi, who passed away on 7 August.
His remarks could put the BJP in a fix as it was only a few days ago that Stalin had sprung a surprise by inviting BJP national president Amit Shah to a public memorial meeting for Karunanidhi, to be held on 30 August.
Also read: The challenge for Stalin will be to win elections, not his ‘lonely’ brother
Shah had initially confirmed his participation, which left the DMK leadership quite surprised, but later changed his mind. The question being raised now is if Shah’s representative, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, will land in Chennai for the event.
Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy told ThePrint that Stalin was under compulsion to make such statements as he has just taken over the reins of the party.
“Kanimozhi is attending Atalji’s memorial service, so why should there be a problem? The DMK wanting to oppose the BJP is fine with us. It a regional party that is making a statement; we will rule Tamil Nadu soon,” said Thirupathy.
He also dismissed Stalin’s statements. “The entire country is trying to teach Modi a lesson. They also want to do so; let them, we will teach them a lesson in turn,” he added.
Memorial could be a platform for opposition parties
The 30 August memorial service in Chennai is now being seen as a platform for the 17-odd opposition parties to meet and strategise against the Modi government.
The list of invitees includes NCP president Sharad Pawar, former PM and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, amongst others. The Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad will represent party president Rahul Gandhi, while West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will be represented by party MP Derek O’Brien.
Also read: After Jayalalithaa vs Karunanidhi, it could be Stalin vs Dhinakaran in Tamil Nadu