Guwahati: Congress President Rahul Gandhi made a strong pitch for the leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MK Stalin as the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a rally at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi said that Stalin will head the next government in Tamil Nadu which will vote for a new assembly in 2021. The Congress has allied with DMK to fight the Lok Sabha polls in 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Taking a swipe at BJP and its ideological connection with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Gandhi said, "Our alliance is the alliance of the people of Tamil Nadu as both parties believe in freedom, justice and freedom of speech. We will never ever allow the people of Tamil Nadu to be ruled by people from Nagpur."
He also said that Tamil Nadu is going to be ruled by Tamil Nadu as Stalin is going to be the new Chief Minister of the state.
The polls in Tamil Nadu is slated to be held on April 18 for 39 parliamentary seats in the second phase of the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections. The polling for 18 assembly constituencies in the by-election in Tamil Nadu will also be held on the same day.
Gandhi in his speech also raised the promise that he had made regarding the implementation of the NYAY scheme and 33 percent reservation to women in central government jobs and quota in legislatures if the party comes to power in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
The state of Tamil Nadu is going to witness a straight contest between the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-BJP-Pattali Makkal Katchi alliance and the DMK-Congress alliance.
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu is contesting on 27 of 39 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP jas fielded candidates in seven seats while the PMK is contesting in five parliamentary constituencies in the state.
While the opposition Congress is contesting in nine Lok Sabha seats in the state and the DMK has fielded its candidates on the rest of the 30 seats. The Congress is contesting the lone Puducherry Lok Sabha seat.
Also Read: NATIONAL NEWS