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Stalin Pitches For Rahul Gandhi As Next PM; Other Leaders Have Doubts

Stalin appealed to leaders of other opposition parties to strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi.
DMK President MK Stalin (left) with Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday.
ARUN SANKAR via Getty Images
DMK President MK Stalin (left) with Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin on Sunday made a strong pitch for Congress president Rahul Gandhi to be the Opposition’s prime ministerial candidate for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He also lauded Gandhi as being capable of defeating the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

Speaking at a rally after the unveiling of a bronze statue of DMK patriarch and his father late M Karunanidhi, Stalin said, “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.”

“Rahul has got the ability to defeat the ‘Fascist Nazist’ Modi government. I appeal to all my respected party leaders on the dais. We will strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi. We will save this nation,” the DMK president added.

A number of leaders including Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attended the event.

Stalin’s call did not sit well with many other opposition leaders. Sources told PTI that a number of opposition leaders have reservations over naming any prime ministerial nominee for the opposition alliance for 2019 polls.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC), according to India Today, has taken Stalin’s endorsement “very seriously”. Party higher-ups were quoted in the report as saying that the entire Opposition is taking a closer and serious view of it.

(With PTI inputs)

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