CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, in a politically calculated transfer, unveiled the statue of former Prime Minister V P Singh at Presidency Faculty in Chennai, within the presence of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Celebration president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday. In addition to Yadav, the late prime minister’s members of the family have been additionally invited to the occasion. Stalin’s transfer to ask Yadav because the chief visitor for the occasion has ignited speculations about DMK’s ambition for a extra distinguished position in nationwide politics.
VIDEO | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Samajwadi Celebration chief Akhilesh Yadav unveil statue of former PM VP Singh in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/xzXCnBOz0E
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) November 27, 2023
Stalin’s determination follows a latest national-level convention hosted by DMK earlier, which was attended by 19 Opposition leaders. On the occasion, Stalin launched the All-India Federation for Social Justice, countering the BJP’s narrative and setting the stage for the Opposition INDIA bloc.
The transfer – the disclosing of the VP Singh’s statue – comes forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as DMK goals to place social justice as a compelling counterpoint to the BJP’s marketing campaign. Apparently, in contrast to his previous practices of inviting all-party leaders or constitutional authorities, the Tamil Nadu CM’s particular invitation to Yadav for the statue is a transparent indication of DMK’s pan-India ambitions.
Met DMK MP Shri TR Baalu in Delhi and obtained an invitation from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Shri MK Stalin, to attend the disclosing ceremony of former Prime Minister Shri VP Singh’s statue. pic.twitter.com/O4Qg4HuHqg
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 20, 2023
DMK-VP Singh Legacy
V P Singh, a celebrated determine among the many political events in Tamil Nadu, has all the time been perceived as a champion of social justice among the many Dravidian events within the southern state. The age-old ties between DMK and VP Singh, relationship again to the late 1980s and 1990s, add depth to the importance of this transfer. VP Singh’s recognition of DMK in Delhi politics throughout his tenure has left an enduring affect.
Political observers recommend that Stalin’s transfer signifies a broader ambition for DMK in nationwide politics. The choice to ask Yadav, seen as holding a ‘third entrance’ card, indicators a strategic positioning for post-election eventualities.
Singh’s Legacy Of Social Justice
VP Singh’s emphasis on social justice resonates with DMK’s stance, making a political backdrop that connects Tamil Nadu’s social justice measures to nationwide politics. The invitation additionally displays the enduring relationship between Kalaignar Karunanidhi and Mulayam Singh, transcending generations. Karunanidhi fondly described V P Singh as “an embodiment of political decency, tradition and excessive ambitions.”
Notably, Akhilesh Yadav, an OBC chief and the late SP patriarch’s son, had earlier equated the Samajwadi Celebration with the DMK of North India, emphasizing a standard floor of their political approaches.
