In quest for a federal front, KCR to meet Akhilesh Yadav today

Telangana chief minister and president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is trying to put together a federal front of regional parties as an alternative to the Congress and the BJP, will hold talks with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

KCR, as K Chandrasekhar Rao is popularly known, has already met with Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee, JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda, DMK working president MK Stalin, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemanth Soren and Chhattisgarh leader Ajit Jogi in his bid to gather support for the front.

“If necessary, I will also meet Telugu Desam Party president and AP chief minister to discuss the federal front formation. After all, he is my good old friend,” KCR had said in Chennai.

An official at the chief minister’s office (CMO) who did not wish to be named said Akhilesh would arrive by a special flight and will be received by Telangana animal husbandry minister T Srinivasa Yadav, leaders of the Yadav community are also planning a felicitation for him at the airport.

Akhilesh is scheduled to meet Rao at Pragathi Bhavan, the latter’s camp office-cum-residence to discuss modalities of formation of the federal front, its structure and composition.

The former Uttar Prsdesh chief minister is also scheduled to visit the residence of Srinivasa Yadav before leaving for Lucknow.

According to a TRS leader, the chief minister is keen that the federal front should take a shape in the next couple of months.

“In the coming days, he is expected to meet various other regional party heads to chalk out a comprehensive strategy for the federal front. A blue print for the common minimum programme for the front is also getting ready,” he said.

The Telangana chief minister is expected to top his efforts with a massive public meeting in Hyderabad in October with over 20 lakh people, which is expected to be attended by all the regional party heads, the party leader added.

At his party’s plenary last month, KCR had said his front would trigger an earthquake in national politics and Hyderabad will be its epicentre.

The Congress has been dismissive of KCR’s efforts. Stating that there would be no third or fourth front, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Uttam Kumar Reddy had said, “With what face is KCR talking about a third front against Modi-led BJP after having supported the party for the president and vice-president elections, demonetisation and GST? The TRS and the BJP have a tacit understanding and both are speaking against each other as a drama to divert the attention of public,” Uttam said.

“I wholeheartedly welcome the Third Front or Federal Front proposal by the Telangana CM. Everyone has a right to form party alliances, and contest in the elections. In the past, many governments were formed because of alliances only,” said BJP president Amit Shah in Bengaluru on Monday.