Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday, 18 May, met Congress President Rahul Gandhi and discussed firming up an anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) front to keep the saffron party out of power after poll results are declared.
Before meeting the Congress chief, Naidu, who is spearheading an effort to cobble up an anti-BJP front, met CPI leaders Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja.
The Andhra Pradesh chief minister also met Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar and Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav in the national capital.
In an hour-long meeting with Gandhi, sources said, Naidu discussed the impending need to bring together all parties that are against the BJP after the Lok Sabha election results are declared on 23 May.
Sources told PTI that Naidu told Gandhi to have a strategy ready in case the BJP falls short of numbers – and still stakes claim to form the government.
Naidu is also in touch with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee over the phone on this issue, the sources added.
Naidu Meets Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati in Lucknow
Naidu has met SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and BSP Chief Mayawati in Lucknow.
Earlier on Friday, Naidu had said that not only the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, but any outfit against the saffron party are welcome to join a grand alliance after the election results are declared.
He had also met AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as well as CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on the matter.
The seven-phase polling will end on Sunday and the counting of votes will be done on 23 May.
(With inputs from PTI)
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