DMK calls for all-party meet over Article 370 abrogation

CHENNAI: The principal opposition party of Tamil Nadu, the DMK, in a statement issued on Tuesday announced that it had organised an all-party meet on the developments relating to Jammu & Kashmir to be held at the party’s headquarters in the city on Saturday. The meeting will be chaired by party president MK Stalin, who was among the handful of political party leaders in the country to strongly oppose the Modi government’s move to effectively scrap Article 370 and to bifurcate the State of Jammu & Kashmir into Union Territories.

In both the Rajya Sabha as well as in the Lok Sabha, the DMK’s representatives have spoken out against the government’s J&K proposals and have voted against matter. The DMK, which has five members in the Upper House, is the second-largest opposition party in the Lower House with 23 members. While on Monday, DMK’s ally MDMK leader Vaiko launched a blistering attack on the central government in the Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, DMK MPs TR Baalu and Dayanidhi Maran were among those leading the charge in the Lok Sabha. 

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Chennai on Tuesday evening, according to a DMK post on Twitter. The Trinamool Congress chief will be unveiling a statue of late DMK leader M Karunanidhi on Wednesday, which marks one year of his death, at the office of the party mouthpiece Murosoli in Chennai. She is expected to join Stalin -- Karunanidhi’s son -- and other Opposition leaders in addressing a public meeting later. The DMK will also be taking out a silent march, led by Stalin, to Karunanidhi’s memorial on Wednesday.