Nobody is untouchable for proposed Federal Front, says KCR

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday said the proposed national alliance of political parties has not declared any party as untouchable and made it clear that it will keep its options open.

Stating that no name has been given to the proposed alliance, he said any party could join it, if it agrees with the national agenda, which will be announced in one-and-a-half to two months.

He was addressing a joint news conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav after holding talks with him on the proposed alliance.

While the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister evaded a direct reply if the Congress would be part of the proposed front, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief intervened to show his unhappiness over what he called "critical" questions by the media.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, clarified that they have just made the beginning to bring together various parties to work for a qualitative change in the process of politics and the governance, adding their effort was not merely for political aim or confined to 2019 elections.

"Unless there is a qualitative change in the country, unless there is quantum jump of things and unless you make some structural changes, you cannot change the routine which has happening for the last 70 years," he said.

Reiterating that the previous governments failed to fulfil the people's aspirations, he said they were trying to bring together parties on the basis of an agenda to give a new direction to the country.

The two leaders had detailed discussion on proposed alliance and various related issues.

While assuring all support to KCR's efforts, Akhilesh Yadav said only regional parties can stop the BJP government in coming days.

The SP leader said a beginning for a change was made in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP lost by-elections to two Lok Sabha seats held earlier by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

Akhilesh Yadav said the way the BJP disappointed people was beyond imagination. "They did not fulfil even a single promise. There is a long list of promises they made and now they don't even have time (to fulfil them)," he said.

"Only five to 10 parties have come together. The BJP has 45 parties with it. So we have room for another 35 parties," remarked Akhilesh Yadav when asked whether the Congress would be part of the proposed front.

KCR said he would hold talks with many other friends and political parties in the days to come.

The TRS chief, who proposed the front as an alternative to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, has stepped up his efforts during the last few days. He visited Chennai on Sunday to meet DMK leaders M. Karunanidhi and M.K. Stalin.

At the TRS plenary last week, a resolution was passed towards this effect. Stating that both the BJP and the Congress miserably failed to address people's problems during last 70 years, KCR said the front would trigger tremor in the national politics with its agenda for speedy development and for addressing the real issues of people.

KCR has so far held talks with West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, Janata Dal-S President and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his son H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Hemant Soren and well-known actor Prakash Raj had also called on KCR to discuss the formation of the front.

--IANS

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