Rama Krishna Sangem
TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR)’s met Mharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on February 20, Sunday. This is the first but a definite step towards KCR’s plans to float a non-BJP alternative at the Centre. His brief but focused talks with both the leaders are encouraging to his mission.
KCR already met Tamil Nadu CM and DMK chief MK Stalin last month and is likely to meet some more leaders like TMC chief and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee sometime later, followed by many such visits across the country. His efforts may gain momentum after March 10, when results of 5 state assembly elections will be out.
On Sunday, KCR’s lunch with Uddhav can be called a warm up meeting and general exchange of views and ideas. KCR not only talked about politics with Thackeray, but also inter-state issues between Telangana and Maharashtra. It is a fact that lakhs of people from Telangana have settled in Maharashtra since decades. Lakhs of Maharashtrians made Hyderabad as their home.
River Godavari is a common water source to both the states. Precisely because of this connectivity, KCR earlier successfully dealt with former BJP CM Devendra Fadnavis to build the mega lift scheme, Kaleswaram Project. Now, Uaddhav too is expressed similar regards to KCR – whether to share river waters or to test political waters in the country. Uddhav supported KCR’s non-BJP initiative.
Same is the case with Sharad Pawar, who is considered as Political Chanakya in India. The veteran Maratha leader who is responsible for stitching together the MVA (Maha Vikas Agadhi) government in Maharashtra is for a non-BJP alternative at the Centre. Pawar is no stranger to KCR. They together worked in the UPA government too. Pawar too appreciated KCR’s efforts against BJP led Centre.
Sources say, KCR’s Sunday talks with Thackeray and Pawar are general in nature and exploratory. A lot will be decided after the UP assembly results. How Punjab goes – reports say it may see a hung assembly – too will be a factor in deciding the anti-BJP platform. KCR said all the non-BJP leaders would meet in Hyderabad soon. That may happen after the Parliament budget session in April.
More details on the nature of Congress role in the non-BJP platform will be known at that stage. If the party fares well in Punjab and comes to power in Punjab, Congress will be a major player. Otherwise, it may be a minor player or ignored totally. As of now, KCR is not averse to Congress and is ready to accommodate the Grand Old Party in his camp.
KCR is accompanied in Mumbai by his daughter and TRS MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntla, MPs J Santosh Kumar, K Keshav Rao, BB Patil Ranjith Reddy, MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy , Shravan Reddy. It may be recalled Kavitha enjoys friendship with Sharad Pawar’s daughter and MP Supriya Sule since 2014. Sule can play a role in this non-BJP platform building.
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