Galaxy of leaders at Karuna's birthday celebrations

A galaxy of leaders today converged on Chennai to take part in DMK chief M Karunanidhi's 94th birthday celebrations and diamond jubilee of his legislative career.

The meeting under the DMK aegis is seen by political observers as a possible grand alliance to take on the BJP juggernaut in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

It was a virtual coming together of non-BJP parties on a common platform ahead of the Presidential elections.

Present on the dais at the sprawling YMCA grounds at Royapettah here were top non-NDA leaders, including Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, TMC leader Derek O'Brien, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury,former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and CPI national secretary D Raja.
 

DMK working president and Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin assumed the centre stage playing host to the leaders.

However, Stalin has denied his father's birthday bash will serve as a platform for non-NDA parties to discuss the presidential polls.

He had earlier said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had already held discussions with him on the possibility of putting up a joint opposition candidate.

Karunanidhi was not present as he is still recovering from a surgical procedure.

The venue was packed to capacity with DMK cadres. Police had made tight security arrangements.