Dialogue for Federal Front has begun, says TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao

Bhubaneswar: Putting all speculations at rest, Telangana Chief Minister and TRS party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao today admitted that he has stepped up his efforts for a Federal Front or an alternative to Congress and BJP in the country.

KCR, whose party recently secured a landslide victory in the assembly elections in Telangana, said that there is a dire need of change in the country. "It is certain that the country needs a change and for that a dialogue has begun. We are doing our efforts; nothing has come out concrete now... I think shortly something will emerge."

KCR also admitted that he had discussions about the Federal Front with the Odisha CM. "We have just begun the dialogue and will shortly meet again," said the Telangana CM, adding that talks would be held with other parties on how to take things forward.

On allegations that TRS is like a ‘B team’ of NDA, KCR said, "It has become a big joke in the country as when Modi visits Hyderabad, he says I am in the B-Team of Congress and when Rahul and Sonia Gandhi visit there, they say we are in the B-team of BJP."

On a possible Federal Front, CM Naveen said, "We have discussed several things including a federal friendship among like-minded parties."

In coming days, KCR is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati next week to cobble up the Federal Front.

Earlier the ruling-BJD had been claiming that the Telangana CM's visit to Naveen Niwas was just a courtesy call which the Opposition had found hard to digest.

AICC In-charge of Telangana and senior Congress leader Ram Chandra Khuntia said that KCR's TRS is acting like a ‘B team’ of BJP in the country to give protection to the saffron party.

“PM Narendra Modi has conspired to form the B-team in the name of Regional Federation and is meant to weaken the national-level grand alliance or the Mahagathbandhan which is taking shape at the Centre,” alleged Khuntia.

Senior BJP leader Suresh Pujari said that Congress has lost mental balance and it has affected the party's (Congress) tone and behaviour. "No third front can work, the BJP will again form government at the Centre," said Pujari.

Responding to Khuntia's comment, BJD spokesperson Sameer Das said, "As Khuntia was the In-charge of Telangana and Congress had to face defeat in the recent election, he might have spoken such things out of anger; but the Telangana CM's visit to Naveen Niwas was purely a courtesy call."