MK Stalin joins anti-saffron tirade, as Congress, Left signal ties with DMK

CHENNAI: As DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Saturday shared the dais with Left leaders after eight years, the public meeting to drum up support for the general strike on April 25 turned out to be an anti-BJP platform with leaders, openly stating that the parties could join hands in the 2019 Parliament elections. However, he accepted the suggestion of CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan that the AIADMK government is ‘BJP’s benami government”. Stalin also alleged that the centre was behind the cancellation of the RK Nagar bypoll since it feared that the DMK would win the bypoll. He said the DMK would fight against the communal policies of the BJP and warned of a bigger protest if the centre did not fulfill the demands of Tamil Nadu farmers.

Citing the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami’s action of removing the red beacon by himself after the centre’s direction, Stalin asked “Does the Chief Minister has the guts to raise his voice against the centre’s opposition to the Cauvery Management Board”. Stalin was the lone leader who attacked the AIADMK, while the other leaders refrained from hitting out at the AIADMK government and focused their ire on the centre, alleging that the centre’s  open opposition to set up the CMB is the major reason for the plight of TN farmers.  

The Left party leaders, besides Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani and VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan appealed to Stalin to leave the AIADMK and take on the BJP. The leaders of Congress, CPM and CPI, indirectly endorsed the call of Veeramani that the parties should form an electoral alliance against the BJP.