Receiving widespread support: KCR on third front idea

After announcing his national political ambition, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Sunday said his idea of non-Congress and non-Bharatiya Janata Party front was finding resonance among many regional leaders.

"Since morning, I have been receiving many calls from various places in India. Today afternoon, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee called me and said that I have taken the right decision and she will be supporting me," Chief Minister Rao said while addressing a huge crowd at his official residence, Pragati Bhavan, here.

"Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren also called, telling me that he is standing behind me. Soren also told me that he is trying to speak with many other people in India and will meet up soon and speak on the issue," said Rao.

He also said that numerous MPs have called him and assured him of their support.

Meanwhile, Rao criticised Congress and BJP, saying that both the parties have "miserably failed in governance".

"We see farmers' suicides, why is this happening even after 70 years of independence?" Rao asked.

He further accused the national parties of dividing the country and its people on caste, religion and political lines.

Claiming that nothing has changed during the governance of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre, Rao said some sectors should be handed over to the states.

"Medical, education, agriculture, and urban development should be handed over to state governments, but they aren't doing so, while the Central government is keeping all these departments in their hands," said the Telangana Chief Minister.

On Saturday, after chairing the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) parliamentary board meeting, KCR announced his ambition to participate in the national politics to initiate a change in the political fabric of the country, following the "miserable failure" of the current system.

"I am keen to participate in national politics to change the political fabric of the country as the current political system has miserably failed. There is a serious need for qualitative change in the national politics, as no change has been seen by the people even after 70 years of exercise of democracy," he said.

Thereafter, West Bengal's Banerjee, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, two MPs from Maharashtra, and representatives from other political parties called KCR to express their support for his vision.

However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not take the criticism lying down and its Telangana unit alleged that KCR had "failed miserably" in the governance of Telangana, adding that the decision to unite with other parties was because of not being able to fight the BJP alone.