Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday that he had been sent by party national president Rahul Gandhi to meet Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to make a plan for building the anti-BJP platform in the country.
While Mr. Naidu’s recent trip to New Delhi to meet Mr. Gandhi was the first step in building the front against the BJP, his visit to Amaravati to meet Mr. Naidu was the second step, Mr. Gehlot said.
Rare privilege
Mr. Gehlot was received at the Gannavaram Airport as a State guest, a privilege that had not been extended to the two-time Chief Minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, on any of the several visits he had made to the State in the last few months.
Mr. Gehlot came straight to the party office, Andhra Ratna Bhavan, from the airport and then went to meet the Chief Minister.
The picket arranged at the party office was also a surprise to the party workers.
Interacting briefly with the media at the party office, Mr. Gehlot said the Congress and the TDP had formed an alliance for the first time since the formation of the regional party nearly three decades ago. The two parties would begin efforts to garner the support of all the anti-BJP forces in the country immediately, he said.
‘TS not on agenda’
Asked if the Congress and the TDP would campaign together in Telangana, he said Telangana was not on his agenda.
Mr. Gehlot was received with enthusiasm by Congress workers led by PCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy at the airport and brought in a rally to the party office.