Election 2019: Telangana Chief Minister KCR met with MK Stalin for an hour-long meeting
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's efforts to rope in DMK chief MK Stalin for a non-Congress, non-BJP Federal Front, did not go off as expected today. Sources said Mr Stalin -- a Congress ally who twice suggested the name of Rahul Gandhi for the post of the Prime Minister -- had asked him to support the Congress.
Last week, as Mr Rao made a fresh push for the Federal Front, meeting Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and seeking one with Mr Stalin. But the DMK chief was busy with campaigning, his party leaders had said -- a comment that was seen as a signal of his unwillingness for the meeting.
Today, sources in the DMK said Mr Stalin had asked Mr Rao to lend support to the Congress-led UPA.
Later, party spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai tweeted: "Our leader @mkstalin persuades Telengana CM KCR to support the congress alliance in a crucial meeting today! #Elections2019 State leaders will be the heroes after #23May2019".
Mr Rao's renewed push for the Federal Front last year had received lukewarm response from most leaders. Mayawati and her ally, Samajwadi leader Akhilesh Yadav, had skipped the meeting, and Naveen Patnaik had not warmed to the idea. Only Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has spoken of further meetings.