(With inputs from PTI)

Stalin proposes Rahul Gandhi's name as PM candidate for 2019 polls

CHENNAI: DMK president M K Stalin on Sunday proposed Congress president Rahul Gandhi ’s name as the prime ministerial candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to uproot the ' fascist ' Modi government.Speaking at a public meeting after the unveiling of the statue of late DMK chief M Karunanidhi at the party headquarters, Stalin said “We have gone back by 15 years in the last five years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s rule. If he is allowed to continue in power, India will go backward by 50 years.”The statue was unveiled by Sonia Gandhi, who hit out at the BJP for being determined to destroy constitutional values and sought "steadfast and strong ties" between her party and the DMK to trounce the saffron party in the next year's Lok Sabha elections.Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasami were among the opposition leaders who were present.Stalin said the opposition parties had joined hands to protect people of India."Rahul has got the ability to defeat the 'Fascist Nazist' Modi government. I appeal to all my respected party leaders on the dais. We will strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi. We will save this nation," Stalin said.Addressing the rally, Congress president Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the BJP government at the Centre and said he will not allow "destruction" of institutions of the country like the Supreme Court and the Reserve Bank of India.The BJP government believes "only one idea should run India", Rahul alleged. He condemned the BJP government at the Centre for working against Tamil culture and institutions.Speaking on the occasion, Chandrababu Naidu said the NDA government had destroyed federalism of the country. He accused the BJP government of misusing EVMs and destroying all independent institutions like the CBI and RBI.In her speech, Sonia recalled the contribution of Karunanidhi to Tamil society and culture.Sonia heaped praise on Karunanidhi and said her party will always remember his support to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1971 and 1980 towards her bank nationalisation and abolition of privy purses initiatives."It is my earnest desire that the mutual support of our parties to each other must remain strong and steadfast as when Karunanidhi ji was guiding us ... and as we wage together a battle with the political forces that are determined to destroy our constitutional values, our institutions and the idea of India as you know it," Sonia said in an apparent reference to the BJP."Let the message go to the people of Tamil Nadu and the country that we are united and determined to protect and preserve our country's constitution and its values that has built and sustained India over the last 70 years," she asserted.