CHENNAI: No decision has been taken on fielding a common prime ministerial candidate at the opposition meeting held in Patna, Chief Minister M K Stalin told reporters in Chennai on Friday. “But I had emphasised that post-poll alliance cannot be the right approach and a common minimum programme (CMP) should be agreed upon,” Stalin said.
Briefing reporters at Chennai airport, Stalin said he had put forth seven suggestions, including forming an alliance under the leadership of a party that wields influence in a particular state. “If that’s not possible, seat sharing could be considered. Common candidates can also be put up,” the CM said. Parties that attended the meet on Friday were clear that BJP should not be allowed to win, he said. “I had stressed that parties must be firm on the goal to defeat BJP,” Stalin said.
‘Meeting gives hope, BJP will be defeated’
Expressing happiness over the meeting organised by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and the opposition’s unity to send the BJP “packing home” Stalin said the meeting gave the hope that the BJP will be defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. “Pointing to the unity of secular parties, which was the reason for victory in Tamil Nadu, I emphasised the importance of unity at the national level.
Just because it is called BJP, no one should think of it as a meeting against a single party. All the parties were clear that if we have to save India’s democracy, republic character, secularism, diversity, and protect oppressed and poor people, BJP should not come to power again,” Stalin said.
The June 23 meeting will pave the way to script history in which opposition parties will win the 2024 polls, the chief minister said. To a question, Stalin replied that he could not attend the press conference of the leaders as he had to catch the flight back to Chennai but he met the leaders of the opposition parties and expressed solidarity with them in achieving their collective goal.
Asked if the second meeting at Shimla next month was proposed because of lack of progress at the Friday meeting, the chief minister said the unity of opposition parties had started taking shape in Patna, and the Shimla meeting would help chalk out a strategy. “You will be updated regularly,” he said.