Oppn unites during 94th birthday celebrations of DMK President M Karunanidhi

FP Staff • June 4, 2017, 12:38:25 IST

A galaxy of opposition leaders descended on Tamil Nadu capital to attend DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s 94th birthday celebrations

A galaxy of opposition leaders descended on Tamil Nadu capital to attend DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s 94th birthday celebrations and diamond jubilee of his legislative carrer, amid efforts to forge a broad-based alliance ahead of the presidential poll. PTI

Hailing the DMK supremo for strengthening the social justice movement, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pitched for total prohibition in the state if DMK came to power. He said the presence of several political bigwigs at the event reflected the respect Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) commanded in national politics. Kumar particularly lauded the DMK chief’s role in implementing the Mandal commission’s recommendations on OBC. PTI reservation.

Opposition leaders’ presence in Chennai is being seen as a frantic effort to build consensus on fielding a common presidential election. However, Congress, at the forefront of such attempts, wants a broad-based coalition of secular parties cobbled together which could be extended beyond the presidential polls to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. PTI

CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury went ballistic against the BJP, saying “private armies” were taking over the country and called for united efforts to face challenges posed by “political polarisation.” He was seen bantering with Congress VP Rahul Gandhi at the event. PTI

Making a pitch for opposition unity, Yechury said, “If that is the challenge we have to meet, we need to meet that challenge by coming together and strengthening the people’s struggle against the policies of this government.” PTI