HYDERABAD: Telangana chief minister K
Chandrasekhar Rao and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banjeree who held a meeting in Kolkata about the formation of a
Federal Front could not come to an understanding on whether the
Congress could be associated with it in some manner.
However, a beginning was made for the formation of what is being called a 'federal front' and both leaders expressed happiness about it.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader and All India Trinamool Congress leader, could not come to an understanding on the important issue of whether the Congress will be part of it or be associated with it because
Mamata Banerjee is not loathe to the Congress. Chandrasekhar Rao, however, considers the Congress as 'villain no. 1' as he had announced in Hyderabad a few days ago.
Speaking to the media, Chandrasekhar Rao announced that a 'good beginning' had been made. He brushed aside a question on whether the Federal Front would be willing to take the support of the Congress in the event of that party offering it during the 2019 elections. "The federal front that is in the offing will be a huge entity," he said.
Mamata Banerjee, however, said consultations with many other parties too would begin on the formation of a Federal Front. "There is a lot of time and everything will fall in place in due course," she said.
On the issue of leadership of the federal front, Chandrasekhar Rao said it would be a 'collective leadership' for the federal front. "Every situation throws up a leader. There will be no issue of leadership in the federal front. We will have collective leadership," he said.
Chandrasekhar Rao went to Kolkata along with his daughter and Nizamabad MP, Kavitha Kalvakuntla, the TRS parliamentary party leader
K Keshshava Rao and others.
"We have just started the discussions today and we will continue further. Many more parties will be part of the discussions," she said about the formation of the federation front.
Chandrasekhar Rao said during his meeting with Mamata Banerjee, there was understanding on many counts. "Do not assume that what we are forming is something that has already been tried. That is routine thinking. Our plans are much bigger," he said.
Mamata Banerjee said major issues like farmers problems would be addressed by the federal front. Chandrasekhar Rao flew in a special aircraft from the Begumpet airport to meet Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata.
