20 political parties to take part in DMK-led conference on social justice

In an attempt to bring all anti-BJP, opposition parties on one platform, DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has organised a conference on social justice on Monday.

Sources said top opposition leaders from 20 parties are expected to take part in the conference.

The conference "Taking Forward the Struggle for Social Justice and Joint National Programme for Social Justice Movement" will be held in a hybrid mode, reported PTI.

Seen as a display of Opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the conference will be attended by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

Other attendees include Derek O'Brien (Trinamool Congress), Sanjay Singh (Aam Aadmi Party), CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, Chhagan Bhujbal (Nationalist Congress Party), Manoj Jha (Rashtriya Janata Dal), ET Muhammad Basheer (Indian Union Muslim League), K Keshava Rao (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) and MDMK leader Vaiko.

This is the second attempt of the DMK to unite the Opposition, rallying around Stalin.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Tejashwi Yadav and Farooq Abdullah were among those who were part of the DMK chief's 70th birthday celebrations recently.

While Stalin is slated to address the conference virtually from Chennai for 20-25 minutes, others will get around seven minutes each to speak, sources said.