KCR meets Uddhav, Pawar on Opposition front

Mumbai: Insisting that there was a need for structural and policy changes in the country, Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday exuded confidence that like-minded parties will come together to fight against the BJP at the national level. He held meetings with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Sunday.

“You will get to see good results of our meeting very soon. I invite Uddhavji to come to Telangana. I shall be meeting leaders in other parts of the country too,” said Mr Rao after meeting the Maharashtra CM. The Telangana CM also called on Mr Pawar as a part of his efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Calling Mr Thackeray his “brother”, KCR said that he discussed ways of bringing change in the country with the Maharashtra CM. “Many issues were discussed. There is a need for structural and policy changes in the country. There are many other people in the country who think alike and we are talking to them too. We shall soon meet together in Hyderabad or elsewhere and draw up a future plan,” he added.

The Telangana CM also issued a warning to the BJP, saying that it was misusing the Central agencies in a “very bad manner”. He said: “We condemn it. The Central government should change their policy, they will suffer if they don’t.”

Mr Thackeray also took a swipe at the BJP saying that the Shiv Sena’s “Hindutva doesn’t teach wrong politics”. He said: “The situation prevailing in the country and the way low level politics is happening is not Hindutva... Our Hindutva is not about taking revenge. Today the entire focus is on defaming others and trumpeting one’s achievements, while saying others have not done anything and resorting to lies.”

Mr Rao received a warm welcome from the Shiv Sena with posters welcoming him seen in various places in Mumbai. The posters had photographs of KCR, Mr Thackeray, Mr Pawar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said the meeting will expedite the process of political unity at the national level against the BJP.

Visuals showed Mr Thackeray greeting the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders accompanying Mr Rao. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut was also present. Actor-politician Prakash Raj, known for his anti-BJP stand, was also seen at the meeting. Mr Rao was accompanied by his daughter K. Kavitha, a member of the state Legislative Council, and party MPs J. Santosh Kumar, Ranjith Reddy and B.B. Patil on his visit to Mumbai.

Mr Rao also met Mr Pawar at the latter’s residence in South Mumbai and discussed the new vision and agenda to run the country properly. “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,” said KCR.

Mr Pawar said that he discussed solutions to the problems that India is facing currently -- “be it poverty or the farmers’ issues” with KCR. “We did not have much of a political discussion, because the issue is development... we will again hold discussions later,” he added.

Welcoming KCR’s bid to form an anti-BJP front, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said: “Without the Congress, such efforts will neither be complete nor become successful.”