Federal front: Akhilesh Yadav to meet Chandrasekhar Rao in Hyderabad

Telangana Chief Minister and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Wednesday will meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav at Pragathi Bhavan here in his bid to stitch a federal front for 2019 general elections.

On April 29, KCR had reached out to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leadership envisaging to form a federal front ahead of the general elections next year.

KCR had visited DMK president M. Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram residence and sought his blessings. After meeting with Karunanidhi, KCR went to DMK working president M.K. Stalin's residence for a luncheon discussion.

Later addressing a joint press conference, Stalin had said, "We had a discussion on politics. KCR spoke on secularism and federal front. There are certain parties in Tamil Nadu which have aligned with us and we will discuss about KCR's ideology with them. After discussing with DMK's high level committee, I will give an answer to KCR."

Stalin added that he had also conveyed his idea to conduct a rally to emphasise on states' authority.

Meanwhile, KCR said that his ongoing effort was not aimed at some kind of a 'third front' and it was not a mere alignment of political parties but "that of the people" of the country.

"This is neither the beginning nor the end. We haven't taken any decision yet. But, across the nation there is a debate on the politics and governance of India," the TRS supremo said.

KCR also informed reporters that he and Stalin spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the phone.

Earlier, KCR had warned the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of a 'Federal Front' which he said will 'replace the two.'

Speaking at the 17th plenary session of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Rao said, "I warn the Congress and BJP leaders to be alert as the federal front is going to come."

"This country will see a new ruling in the coming months. We will break the foundation laid by Congress and BJP to rule the country. Better infrastructure, better ports, better highways, better airports and better railways will be developed in a wonderful way by us to the country," he said adding that a Maha Sabha will be held in October.

He also hit out at the Congress and the BJP for 'mismanagements' in their governance, which he alleged was the primary reason behind China being so far ahead of India in terms of development.

KCR will also meet Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik this week.

The two are most likely to discuss the possibility of a third front in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress.

Rao had recently mooted the idea to form a 'Third Front'.

Pitching for the formation of a new national front 'third front', Rao had said that it would not be a 'silly political front', but will work for India's masses.

After meeting former prime minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) chief H. D. Deve Gowda last week, the Telangana Chief Minister had said that the Congress and the BJP have failed the nation miserably.

"The Congress Party and BJP ruled India for over 65 years and they have miserably failed the nation. This (third front) is not a silly political front, it'll be coming together of India's masses," Rao had said.

The Chief Minister further announced that they will come out with a big agenda for farmers before 2019.

Earlier on April 10, Yoga Guru Ramdev met the daughter of Rao and Nizamabad MP K. Kavitha and hinted to extend his support to Telangana over the demand for third front.

Last month, Rao had said that idea of 'third front' pitched by him, will be for the people of the country.

In March, Rao had met the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding the same. Interacting with the media after meeting his West Bengal counterpart, Rao had said that the third front would not be a mere alliance of a few political parties but for the people.

Mamata had also urged all the opposition parties to work closely together against the NDA.

(ANI)