20 parties sign in as DMK calls Oppn meet

NEW DELHI: DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called a meeting of opposition parties in Chennai on Monday to discuss issues relating to social justice in the country.

Leaders of around 20 parties, including the Congress, are slated to attend the meeting either in person or virtually, opposition leaders said. The meeting will discuss ‘Social Justice, the Way Forward’.

Among the speakers who have confirmed their participation include Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, BRS leader K Keshav Rao, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja, AAP leader Sanjay Singh and TMC’s Derek O’Brien.

The BJD’s Sasmit Patra and YSRCP’s A Suresh are also among the likely attendees. If they do, then their parties would be attending such a meeting for the first time, sources said. However, the two parties are yet to confirm their presence to the DMK.

However, leaders said BJD and YSRCP are likely to attend the meeting as it is not an out-and-out opposition “political” meeting but a discussion on a social issue.

The BJD’s decision to participate would come close on the heels of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Opposition leaders also said that while the parties have confirmed presence, the names of their representatives are tentative. The NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) are yet to confirm their participation, sources said.

Earlier, MK Stalin’s 70th birthday bash had turned into a mega Opposition unity show with leaders pledging to uproot BJP in 2024. Speaking in an emotional tone at the massive meeting organised on the occasion in Chennai, Stalin had opined that the idea of forming a third front would be pointless and a post-poll alliance among parties is not a practical idea.

Charging that the BJP is waging a war against states governed by opposition parties, CM Stalin said, “We do understand their long-term plans and are fighting an ideological battle. The 2024 general elections are an opportunity to win our battle.”

The meet called by CM Stalin on Monday is likely to yield template for further talks towards common causes to achieve opposition unity.