Rahul Gandhi to attend Karunanidhi's bash, Lalu Yadav to skip event

DMK chief Karunanidhi's birthday bash on Saturday is expected to be the biggest gathering of non-NDA leaders ahead of the Presidential elections

The grand gala organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on account of party Supremo M Karunanidhi's 94th birthday is all set to be held on Saturday. While Karunanidhi himself will give the event at YMCA grounds in Chennai a miss, the meeting is expected to be the largest congregation on non-NDA parties ahead of the Presidential elections.

Saturday's event also marks 50 years of Karunanidhi as a legislator. The DMK has invited almost all parties expect the BJP. While leaders like Nitesh Kumar, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Sitaram Yechury are expected to be part of the event, Lalu Prasad Yadav who had confirmed his attendance is likely to miss the event owing to ill-health.

On Friday, the DMK released a video of Karunanidhi going through the schedule for the event. The DMK supremo will not take part in the event owing to infection risks. M K Stalin had earlier announced that Karunanidhi's participation in the event would be subjected to doctor's advice. It is now learnt that the 94-year-old leader has been asked to stay away from huge crowds. Karunanidhi had to undergo a tracheostomy for infection in 2016.

Stage set for an anti-BJP force

While the Congress has been trying hard to consolidate support and bring all opposition parties to one side, Saturday's meeting is all set to provide a platform for the same. Stalin had made it clear that the BJP was not invited to the party since its purpose in Tamil Nadu was the destruction of Dravidian parties. Stalin on Friday, however, did not forget to wish Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundarrajan on her birthday.

Following the luncheon hosted by Sonia Gandhi earlier in May, Saturday's event is going to bring tall leaders of many parties together. While Stalin has maintained that Presidential elections are off the table during the event, discussions of the same are inevitable given the massive non-NDA gathering that is to take place. Kanimozhi has personally invited leaders of many political parties that do not align with BJP's ideology and agenda. Saturday's meet will see anti-BJP forces come together and Stalin emerge as the top leader of DMK in his father's absence.

OneIndia News