Stalin for Rahul as next PM

Chennai, December 16 

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DMK president MK Stalin Sunday made a strong pitch for Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate of the Opposition for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, saying he  had the ability to defeat the “fascist” Narendra Modi government.

However, a number of Opposition leaders are understood to have reservations over naming any prime ministerial nominee for the Opposition alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, sources in the Opposition camp said.

The DMK president was speaking at a rally attended by Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, N Chandrababu Naidu and Pinarayi Vijayan, respectively.

Stalin recalled that  his late father M Karunanidhi had in 1980 declared “Welcome daughter of Pandit Nehru. Give a Stable Regime”  while extending support to the late Indira Gandhi. Similarly, he had made an invitation to Sonia Gandhi in 2004, saying “Welcome daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, India's daughter should Win”.  “In 2018, on the occasion of unveiling Thalaivar Kalaignar statue, I propose, we will install a new Prime Minister in Delhi. We will build a new India, as the Son of Thalaivar Kalaignar, I propose the candidature of Rahul Gandhi from Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said. 

A top Opposition leader, however, said: “The SP, TDP, BSP, TMC, and the NCP disagree with Stalin’s announcement. It is premature. The PM name is to be decided only after the Lok Sabha results.” 

The rally followed the unveiling of a bronze statue of Karunanidhi at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party president Rahul Gandhi were also in attendance at the event. Training his guns on the Modi government, Rahul accused it of targeting institutions of the country.

“We are not going to allow the destruction of the idea of India. We are going to stand together and oust the BJP” he said.  — PTI