DMK chief MK Stalin has twice suggested Rahul Gandhi's name for the post of PM in the last few months.
Narendra Modi should not return to power at any cost and for that, Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is ready to accept Rahul Gandhi as the next Prime Minister, sources in the party indicated. Referring to DMK chief MK Stalin's pitch on Tuesday again, to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister, a source said, "If Stalin says Rahul for PM, it doesn't matter. All want Modi out".
A decision on the thorny issue of the top job has been postponed till after the election by consensus among the opposition parties. It was the logical move to maintain unity in a disparate combination of parties, where more than one leader harbours national ambitions.
Besides Mayawati, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also on that list. The Bengal Chief Minister's frosty relation with Rahul Gandhi has precluded the possibility of a tie-up at the state level. During campaign, the two have made strong comments against each other.
Talking of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's series of meetings with leaders in south, Trinamool sources said, "Regional parties are drawing closer to get Modi out. Mamata is playing a key role, keeping back channels buzzing".
Mr Rao met the Chief Minister last year, and Mamata Banerjee said he would visit the state again for further talks.
In the current round he has met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, MK Stalin, and spoken with Jaganmohan Reddy, the leader of the opposition YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Sources said though Mr Rao, though seen as being comparatively closer to the BJP than the Congress, an alliance with the BJP may "hurt" him as in most southern states, people are not too keen on the BJP. The same cause applies to Jaganmohan Reddy, who is expecting to capture power from Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh.
Among the opposition leaders, only Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik "is the odd one out, and is likely to stay truly equidistant (from the BJP and the Congress)," sources said. "Naveen has a five-year term and is in no rush to go to Delhi," the sources said.