Rahul to attend Karunanidhi's 94th B'day bash on June 3

Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi had invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi but she might not attend the celebrations due to her health issues.

New Delhi, May 30: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will attend 94th birthday celebrations of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi in Chennai on June 3, said reports.

It is to recall that many plans have been made by the Opposition to unite against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming Presidential polls and in this regard, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad are also likely to attend the DMK chief's 94th birthday celebrations in Chennai next month.

Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, who have been trying for a united opposition to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party following its massive victory in Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, have promised senior DMK leader and Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi they would join her father's birthday bash on June 3 in Chennai.

Nitish and Lalu have accepted the invitation on behalf of the DMK's working president M K Stalin.

"Nitish Kumar has confirmed Kanimozhi, who personally visited him at his official residence to attend Karunanidhi's birthday," a senior JD-U leader said. Lalu Prasad also confirmed his presence to Kanimozhi. "Laluji told Kanimozhi after she handed invitation card to him personally that he will be visiting Chennai for Karunanidhi's birthday," RJD leader said.

BJP not invited for the birthday bash

The working president of the DMK, M K Stalin said that he would not invite the BJP for Dr M Karunanidhi's 94th birthday celebrations. The June 3 event is all set to be a political affair with the DMK deciding to hold diamond jubilee celebrations for its leader where Presidential polls are likely to be discussed.

Making his intentions about inviting the BJP for the bash clear, M K Stalin said that a party that intended to wipe out Dravidian parties can definitely not be invited to celebrate a Dravidian leader.

"BJP leaders want to destroy Dravidian parties like DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. How can we invite them to and make them sit on a stage at Kalaignar's birthday? We will be squirming in our seats after inviting them and it will be an embarrassment," M K Stalin said.

Stalin's statement came after BJP chief in Tamil Nadu Tamilisai Soundararajan claimed that the party would participate in the event if an invitation was extended and prove that there was no hidden agenda as claimed by the DMK M K Stalin has outrightly rejected the idea of inviting the BJP.

Stalin and Kanimozhi have personally extended invitations to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and many non-BJP leaders to take part in the event.

OneIndia News