In an effort to stitch a third front to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general election, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao met his Maharashtra counterpart and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Sunday, 20 February, in Mumbai.
Visuals showed Thackeray seated in the garden with Rao, along with Thackeray’s younger son Tejas. A video clip with Thackeray greeting the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders is also doing the rounds on social media.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut and actor-politician Prakash Raj were also present at the meeting.
Posters welcoming the Telangana Chief Minister have also been put up at various places in Mumbai.
Later on Sunday evening, 20 February, Rao also met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar at the latter's Silver Oaks residence in Mumbai.
After the meeting, Rao stated, "This country needs to be run properly with a new agenda, new vision... I discussed the same with Sharad Pawar Ji. He is an experienced leader, has given me his blessings, and we will work together. Soon, a meeting with other like-minded parties will be held."
'BJP Will Suffer Misusing Central Agencies': Rao
After his meeting, Rao said, "You will get to see a good result of our meeting very soon. I invite Uddhav Ji to come to Telangana."
Rao stated, "Central agencies are being misused in a very bad manner, we condemn it. The central government should change their policy, they'll suffer if they don't. The country has seen many such things."
Further, Rao added, "We have done an elaborate discussion on improving and expediting developmental issues and bringing structural and policy changes in the country. We've agreed on all the issues," news agency ANI reported.
"Both (KCR and Uddhav) are brothers because our states share 1,000 km of the border. With the cooperation of the Maharashtra government, we built the Kaleshwaram project, which has benefited Telangana," he added.
Meanwhile, following the meeting, Uddhav Thackeray said, "Our Hindutva doesn't teach wrong politics; some people only work for their agendas, even if country goes to hell. We've to bring our country on the right path; who the PM will be can be discussed later. We'll meet many political leaders today onwards."
Rao's office said that Thackeray had pointed out that Rao has "raised his voice at the right time to protect the nation from divisive forces". Further, Thackeray had invited Rao to Mumbai last week, announcing "complete support" to his "fight" against the BJP's "anti-people policies".
Rao was accompanied by his daughter and Member of Legislative Council K Kavitha and party MPs J Santosh Kumar, Ranjith Reddy, and BB Patil.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' announced on Sunday, the meeting between Thackeray and Rao will expedite the process of political unity at the national level against the BJP.
Rao has consistently targeted the BJP-led government at the centre of violating India’s cooperative federalism.
The Telangana Chief Minister has also said there is a need for a debate on a new Constitution to safeguard the jurisdiction and powers of the states.
Rao also plans to meet Janata Dal (Secular) president and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in Bengaluru, NDTV reported.
He has also been targeting Prime Minister Modi over several issues.
Earlier this month, when Modi visited Hyderabad for the launch of a statue of Saint Ramanujacharya, Rao had stated that Modi "dresses for elections" and his budget is all "style without substance".
"If it is election time, he has to grow a beard and appear like Rabindranath Tagore. Arrey baap re. If it is Tamil Nadu, he must wear a lungi, what is this?...What does the country get with these kinds of gimmicks? If it is the Punjab election, he will wear a pagdi (turban). In Manipur, it will be a Manipuri cap, in Uttarakhand, it will be another topi (cap), how many caps like this? (sic)" he was quoted as saying.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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