Kannur: Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development and actor Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday said the people of his state and Kerala continue to show the 'way forward for the rest of the country in keeping regressive forces at bay'.

He was addressing the valedictory function of a literature festival at the Kannur University. Stalin urged the voters of the two southern states to ensure that the BJP does not win a seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls like it failed to in the 2019 edition.

“In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP faced complete defeat and they could not gain even a single seat from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It was proof of how the people were progressive against the divisive force. In the upcoming Lok Sabha polls too we should repeat the bitter treatment of the fascists. It is our responsibility to dethrone the fascist BJP and to save the Indian Union and our states,” said the DMK leader.

Stalin said the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in the Centre was working against federalism in the country. “The central government is sending governors to ruin the governance of non-BJP ruled states. Central agencies are used to hunt political opponents. I said this based on the experience of Tamil Nadu. I think that Kerala is also facing the same,” he said.

Stalin thanked the people of Kerala for backing him when he faced social media backlash over a controversial remark about 'Sanatana Dharma'. Stalin called for its eradication, drawing widespread condemnation from Hindu organisations.