Chennai: DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K Stalin is celebrating his 70th birthday on Wednesday in a grand manner at YMCA ground in Nandanam grounds here. All India Congress Committee leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader and former Chief Minister of Kashmir Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav are attending Stalin's birthday celebrations, sources said.
DMK general secretary Duraimurugan said that the public meeting on the occasion would mark huge changes in the Indian politics. Party treasurer and Parliamentary Committee President TR Balu will address the function. Also, Stalin will deliver the acceptance speech at the ceremony. State Health minister, M. Subramanian will deliver the vote of thanks.
Kharge maiden visit as Congress chief- It will be the first visit of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to Tamil Nadu. Kharge is the first non-Nehru-Gandhi family member to hold the top post of the All India Congress Committee, which was in the hands of the Gandhi-Nehru family for the last 24 years.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi to release MK Stalin autobiography on Feb 28
Kharge is believed to be a staunch loyalist of the Gandhi Nehru family. He has been criticising the central government in the Parliament for the ten-year 'misrule' of the BJP at the Centre. Considered as the leader of the secular coalition, Kharge's participation in the birthday celebration of Chief Minister Stalin in Chennai holds much significance.
Road to 2024 LS polls- The function is considered to be a platform to kickstart deliberations for the opposition strategy ahead of Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held next year (2024). The secular parties have come together to defeat the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary elections. It is crucial that the SP leader Akilesh is sharing dais with Congress.
The former UP CM has shied away from attending the Rahul-led Bharat Jodo Yatra equating Congress with BJP in politics. It appears that poll bugle to forge a strong alliance is likely to be sounded by Stalin to take on the BJP in the ensuing 2024 Lok Sabha election.
