Rahul Gandhi to attend MK Stalin’s book launch, strengthen ties with DMK leader
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin’s book launch is considered as an opposition gathering as leaders from several parties, including Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, will be in attendance
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Chennai, Tamil Nadu on Monday for the launch of chief minister MK Stalin’s autobiographical book ‘Ungalil Oruvan’ (One Among You), after which he will also meet newly-elected Congress members of civic bodies.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief’s book launch will take place at Chennai Trade Centre at 3:30 p.m., following which Gandhi will proceed to the Congress office in Sathyamurthy Bhavan. This book launch is also considered as an opposition gathering as leaders from several parties, including Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (CPIM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah, will be joining the event.
Gandhi’s comments on Tamil Nadu during the budget session of Parliament earlier this month, were praised by Stalin, when the former accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for following the “idea of a king versus the idea of a union of states”. He added that the BJP can never rule over Tamil Nadu and hoped that the civic body results should have “disabused him of such notions”. Later, speaking to the press, who questioned him on his continuous mention of Tamil Nadu in his speech, Gandhi said “Main Tamil hoon na” (I am a Tamil).
Responding to his speech, Stalin lauded the Congress leader and said, “I thank you on behalf of all Tamils for your rousing speech in Parliament, expressing the idea of Indian Constitution in an emphatic manner. You have voiced the long-standing arguments of Tamils in Parliament, which rest on the unique cultural and political roots that value Self Respect.”
However, despite the former Congress President’s rousing speech in the Lower House, the saffron party won 230 town panchayat wards, 56 municipality wards and 22 corporation wards, including one in the Greater Chennai Corporation, in the recent civic body elections. With this, the BJP has emerged as the third-largest party after the DMK and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), claimed Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai. In more than 20 wards, the BJP stood second to DMK.