'Time for secular, progressive movements to stay united to protect India'

CHENNAI: A day after issuing a clarion call for the 2024 Lok Sabha election at the Kalaignar centenary celebration in Tiruvarur, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday said that it was time for secular and progressive forces in the country to stay united to protect the country.

Penning a letter to his party cadre before leaving for the meeting of non-BJP opposition parties called for by his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar at Patna on June 23, Stalin recalled his speech at the Kalaignar Kottam inauguration and said, "It is the time for secular and progressive forces to stand united to safeguard India. Defeating the communal BJP would only safeguard the plurality of India."

Remarking that beloved Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has made efforts to this effect, the CM referred to the June 23 meeting and said, "I have ready to leave for the historically famed Pattaliputra aka Patna. I will participate in the June 23 discussion of secular and progressive movements to be held at Patna as a representative of our leader Kalaignar, who emphasized secularism throughout his life."

The confidence that the initiative (Patna meeting) taken to safeguard the democratic values and spirit of integrity of the nation would fetch positive results in the 2024 Lok Sabha election has increased, Stalin added, appealing to his cadre to hit the democratic battle field the same way they established the Kalaignar Kottam.