Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's plan to unitedly take on the BJP at a national level has received the backing of yet another regional party. Janata Dal (Secular) chief HD Deve Gowda reportedly called him this afternoon and expressed full support for the fight against "communal" forces, sources in the Chief Minister's Office have told NDTV.
The former Prime Minister reportedly showed appreciation for Mr Rao's efforts and said his party will back the Chief Minister's fight against divisive politics. "Will fully back KCR's fight... Will stand with you to save the country," Mr Deve Gowda reportedly told Mr Rao.
Mr Rao reportedly told Mr Deve Gowda that he would come to Bengaluru shortly to discuss strategies to work together.
Earlier this month, Mr Rao -- who tried to form a non-Congress, non-BJP front ahead of the 2019 elections -- had indicated his desire to play a national role but underscored that he was not angling to become the Prime Minister. "Not fighting to be the Prime Minister, but will fight to bring change," he had said.
Calling for a "qualitative change" in national leadership, he said both the "so-called national parties" -- the Congress and the BJP -- have failed.
"We in fact need a new Constitution. A debate is needed as the Central government has failed to work in the spirit of cooperative federalism,'' he had said shortly after the presentation of the Union budget.
The Chief Minister has met and is planning to bring on board a battery of opposition leaders, triggering talk of another Third Front.
Mr Rao has met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and RJD leader Tejeshwi Yadav, among others.
He has said that he will visit Mumbai to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said she will come to Hyderabad, indicating her involvement in the matter.
Ms Banerjee is already trying to bring together Chief Ministers of Opposition-ruled states over the alleged "misuse of power by the Governors". A meeting is being planned, said MK Stalin, discussed the issue with her.
After reaching out to the regional heavyweights, Ms Banerjee had also snubbed the Congress. "No regional party shares good terms with Congress. The Congress party will go its way, we will go our way," she had told reporters.
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