Jammu Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin “to come to the national scene" and said there are chances that DMK’s top leader could become the Prime Minister if Opposition parties stand unitedly and win the 2024 general election.
While addressing a mega public meeting organised by DMK in Chennai to celebrate the 70th birthday of Stalin, Abdullah said Congress should forget about the Prime Minister’s choice and focus shall be only on winning the Lok Sabha elections next year.
When asked about Opposition’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Abdullah said, “When we all unite and win, it will be at that time that they will decide who is the best man to lead and unite this nation…Stalin, it’s time, to come to the national scene and build the nation as you have built this state. To (Mallikarjun) Kharge Ji, I will say, let’s forget who is going to become the PM. Let’s first win elections, then think about who will become PM. It is not the Prime Minister that matters but it is the nation that matters."
On being asked if Stalin can be a PM candidate, he was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI, “Why not? Why can’t he become the PM? What is wrong about it?"
Meanwhile, Stalin said all Opposition parties should rise above their differences and come together to fight BJP. “This is not just a stage of my birthday celebrations. This is also the beginning of a huge political stage in India. All the parties opposed to the BJP shall come together. That unity will ensure our victory. All the parties have to rise above their differences and stand together as a united force to defeat BJP in 2024," he said while addressing the gathering.
Moreover, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also praised Stalin and expressed confidence the latter will rise to national prominence. He said Stalin has done “exemplary work" for Tamil Nadu’s development as its Chief Minister.
Recalling Stalin’s rise through the ranks of the DMK and especially his tenure as the first elected Mayor of Chennai, Yadav referred to the leader’s arrest during the Emergency and said this was his contribution for democracy.
He said, “I along with other leaders would love to lead future generations towards justice. I wish him great health and immense drive to advance his unique pursuit of social justice and equality-oriented good governance. I am certain that he will rise to great political heights and national prominence."
Never Said Who Will Be PM: Kharge
Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge, who also attended Stalin’s birthday celebrations in Chennai, said it was imperative to unitedly fight against “divisive forces" and indicated that the question of a PM candidate of such a bloc was “not the question".
“All like-minded opposition parties must come together in this fight against divisive forces. I never said who will lead, who will become the Prime Minister. We (Congress) are not telling who will lead or not going to lead. It is not the question. We want to fight together unitedly, that is our desire. That is why we have sacrificed many times in the name of secularism, in the name of liberty, in the name of freedom of expression," he said.
Stalin’s supporters and party workers celebrated his 70th birthday across Tamil Nadu with fervour and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of leaders wished him on the occasion. President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar wrote to Stalin, greeting him on his birthday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi also conveyed their birthday wishes to Stalin. PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi tweeted, extending their greetings.
(with inputs from PTI)
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