In indication of an evolving political front, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut praised Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao as someone with the "ability to lead, taking all together". Raut said: "Chandrasekhar Rao is a very hard working leader. He faced a lot of struggles in his political life. He has the ability to lead taking all together." This comes a day after Rao met Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar, in what is prompting questions of an anti-BJP national front in the making.
After the meeting, while Rao and Thackeray agreed the need to bring a change, Pawar stressed the need for all like-minded parties to join hands to resolve various issues like unemployment and the agrarian crisis and said they will meet again. Though neither Rao, who heads the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), nor Uddhav or Pawar spoke about a third front in clear terms, the Congress welcomed Rao's efforts to forge an anti-BJP front but also cautioned that such bloc cannot be formed excluding the Grand Old Party.
Rao, who travelled to Mumbai on the invitation of Thackeray, said that he and the Maharashtra CM have agreed that change is the need of the hour. The meeting between Rao and Thackeray, held at the latter's official bungalow 'Varsha', lasted for neasrly two hours. Rao then travelled to Pawar's residence in south Mumbai where he held a political discussion with the veteran leader on how to take the country forward after 75 years of independence.
On his part, Pawar stressed the need for all like-minded parties to join hands to resolve various issues like hunger, poverty, unemployment and the agrarian crisis facing the country.
