KCR Reconsidering Cong, Eyeing ‘Deputy PM-ship’ After Stalin Meet?

Apparently, Stalin asked Rao to support the Congress, a possibility he has not ruled out.

Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao with DMK chief MK Stalin.

(Photo: ANI)

Days after Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan to reportedly discuss “1996-formula”, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leader, on Monday, 13 May, paid a visit to DMK President MK Stalin.

Rao, who is looking to stitch together an alliance of regional parties, is reportedly keen on ‘Deputy Prime Ministership’. An NDTV report suggested that Stalin asked Rao to support the Congress, a possibility he has not apparently ruled out.

Earloer reports indicate that the Telangana CM was keen to field a non-BJP, non-Congress prime ministerial candidate from South India. The "1996-formula" is a reference to the mid-90s when HD Deve Gowda and IK Gujral became prime ministers representing the United front government, which enjoyed outside support from the Congress.

Stalin’s Change of Mind?

Monday’s meting between the two leaders from the south is a departure from what was the plan about a week ago, when Stalin indicated may not meet KCR.

Sources close to the DMK President told news agency PTI that Stalin was ‘busy’ with his campaign schedule for the 19 May bypolls to four constituencies in the state and declined to divulge more details.

Rao, who had floated the idea of a non-Congress, non-BJP front some time ago, had met Stalin in April too as part of his outreach to regional parties, with the DMK leader hosting lunch for the visiting TRS supremo and his party colleagues. Later on 6 May, Rao met Vijayan and has reportedly also reached out to Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.