DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, on March 10, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who could not fulfil the promises made by him ten years ago, was now going to one State after another to launch schemes.
“The Prime Minister is filled with last minute anxiety and his face clearly shows his fear. When his supporters raise the slogan ‘Modi Again’, the country echoes ‘Modi not Again’,” he said in a statement.
Mr Stalin, who interviewed DMK aspirants who sought tickets for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, said the opposition INDIA bloc had succeeded in sowing the idea in the mind of the people that the BJP should be defeated at any cost.
“The leaders of the alliance are holding talks in various states to ensure that the anti-BJP votes are not split. In some states seats have been allocated after completion of talks. Talks are progressing in some states and they will also get over in a few days,” he said.
In Tamil Nadu, the alliance led by the DMK had completed seat-sharing with its alliance partners including the Congress, CPI(M), CPI, VCK, MDMK, IUML and the Kongu Nadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (DMK symbol). Finalisation of seat-sharing with allies indicates that the DMK will contest in 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu.
Mr Stalin said Makkal Needhi Maiam founder and actor Kamal Haasan had joined the DMK alliance and would campaign for its candidates and he would be allotted a Rajya Sabha seat in 2025.
“It is not as if we have given them seats. We sat together and discussed seat-sharing and unanimously took decisions on seat-sharing and our unity is clearly expressed by the alliance leaders’ interaction with the media. We are united by the single-minded pursuit of defeating the fascist BJP and the same sentiments would pave the way for victory in 39 seats,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the DMK alliance had proved that the combination of alliance would not change election after election if the allies shared a common goal.
“I reiterated the point during the launch of the INDIA bloc. I made a strong case for the coming together of political parties united by their opposition to the BJP and it has become a major alliance,” he said.
Calling upon the DMK cadres to work for the victory of the alliance in all the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Mr Stalin said it was necessary to usher in a political change and formation of a government at the Centre that would respect the state governments.
“People have realised that the 10-year rule of the BJP had destroyed India,” he claimed. “Strengthen their antipathy towards the BJP by campaigning against the party. Remind people of the achievements of the ‘Dravidian Model’ Government in three years,” he said.
