CHENNAI: Leaving a strong political imprint during this three-day visit to the national capital, DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday inaugurated a new office for his party — Anna-Kalaignar Arivalayam — in New Delhi in the presence of a galaxy of opposition party leaders. Though BJP leaders were invited for the event, they did not turn up. The DMK office is located at DDU Marg on Minto Road in New Delhi. The inaugural function started with Stalin hoisting a huge party flag in front of the office building.
“A momentous occasion for the DMK, the party that stands by the ideals of social justice, equality and state autonomy, for having inaugurated our office in New Delhi. I would like to thank everyone for being part of this historic and joyous moment,” tweeted Stalin after inaugurating the office.Congress president Sonia Gandhi lit the a lamp and inaugurated the Perasiriyar Library within the DMK office. On the occasion, N Ram, director of The Hindu Publishing Group, released the book Karunanidhi: A life, authored by senior journalist AS Panneerselvan.
Stalin released A Dravidian Journey, a book written by Professor J Jeyaranjan, vice-chairman of the State Planning Commission. The first copy was received by Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan. Party leaders who were present include: president of National Conference Farooq Abdullah; Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav; CPM national general secretary Sitaram Yechury; CPI national secretary D Raja; MDMK general secretary Vaiko; VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan; Congress leader P Chidambaram, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, TDP’s Rammohan Naidu and K Ravindra Kumar, BJD’s Amar Patna, and SAD’s Harsimrat Badal attended. Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin and TN ministers were present.
Stalin had earlier called on PM Narendra Modi and Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Piyush Goyal and sought funds due to TN. He had also visited a model school in Delhi and said similar model schools will come up in TN. Stalin underscored that the DMK cannot be separated from national politics.