Chennai | Calling for opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Parliamentary polls, Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge on Wednesday said it was imperative to unitedly fight against "divisive forces" and indicated that the question of a PM candidate of such a bloc was "not the question".
In his address at a DMK event to mark the 70th birthday of its party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Kharge lashed out at the BJP, alleging it was attempting to polarise for electoral gains even as people were facing suffering from rising inflation and unemployment.
There was a need to remain united to protect the country and the Constitution.
"All like-minded opposition parties must come together in this fight against divisive forces. I never said who will lead, who will become the Prime Minister. We (Congress) are not telling who will lead or not going to lead. It is not the question. We want to fight together unitedly, that is our desire. That is why we have sacrificed many times in the name of secularism, in the name of liberty, in the name of freedom of expression," he said.
"That we have done and showed, and we have also lost many times," he added.
Jammu Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said there are chances for DMK top leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin to become the Prime Minister if Opposition parties come together and win the general election next year.
Abdullah said Congress should forget about the Prime Minister's choice and focus shall be only on winning the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
On his arrival here to take part in the 70th birthday celebrations of Stalin, Abdullah, when asked on prospective Prime Ministerial candidates, said a decision could be made on the best man to lead and unite the nation at the appropriate time after a win by a united opposition in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Asked on chances of Stalin becoming the Prime Minister, he told reporters: "Why not? Why can't he become the Prime Minister?" To a question on opposition unity, he said Stalin and DMK have done very well. When the nation's diversity is protected, then unity is guarded, he said. Tamil Nadu's ruling party has done well on nurturing Opposition and national unity, Abdullah added.
