'Brother' Rahul should lead anti-BJP formation at national level: Stalin

DMK President M K Stalin on Sunday appealed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to lead the political formation against the BJP at the national level to defeat “fascist and communal” forces.

Calling Gandhi as his “brother”, Stalin said that the BJP can be defeated if all “secular forces” come together and fight against the party in Tamil Nadu.

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Addressing a public meeting in Salem, 350 km from here, organised by the DMK alliance for the April 6 assembly polls, Stalin also asked the people of Tamil Nadu to “defeat” the AIADMK and BJP which refused land on the Marina Beach for his father M Karunanidhi's lifeless body to be buried next to the resting place of DMK founder C N Annadurai.

With Gandhi by his side, Stalin spoke about how the AIADMK and BJP have “ruined” Tamil Nadu and asked the former Congress President to take the lead in heading a formation against the saffron party.

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“I used to address Rahul as sir during telephonic conversations but he would always ask me to call him brother. With the right that a brother possesses, I ask and appeal Rahul to take charge and lead the anti-BJP formation at the Centre,” Stalin said.

Contending that it was a “strong and secular” alliance in Tamil Nadu that prevented the BJP from winning any seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Stalin said that the saffron party won because the Opposition parties were scattered in the poll battle.

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“Only 37 per cent of people voted for the BJP. But the remaining voted for various parties and this led to BJP's victory. Like in Tamil Nadu, there should be an alliance of secular forces at the national level,” Stalin added.

Stalin was the first ally to endorse Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 elections.