KCR to meet Mamata Banerjee today to discuss new third front

Hyderabad: As part of his move to form a non-BJP and non Congress alternative, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is all set to meet his West Bengal counterpart and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday.

Rao, president of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), will be accompanied by TRS Parliamentary Party leader and party's Secretary-General K Keshava Rao during his visit, party sources told news agency PTI on Sunday.

After Rao recently proposed formation of a non-Congress and non-BJP front at the national level, ahead of the next years Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee had spoken to him over phone, extending her support.

"The discussions will focus on creating some kind of regional formation for setting up a political front with like-minded parties and for creating an agenda for the country's growth," they said.

Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, Rao's daughter, is also likely to take part in the discussions.

Sources in the Telangana Chief Minister's Office had said last night that Rao would meet and hold discussions with Mamata Banerjee on March 19 in the backdrop of him calling for a qualitative change in politics.

Rao would meet Banerjee, (who had recently extended her support over his remarks) in Kolkata at around 4 pm, they said.

However, the Telangana BJP unit on Sunday said the proposed meeting clearly highlighted his 'desperate attempts' to make himself relevant in national politics.

Mooting the alternative, Rao had called for a "qualitative change" in politics and had also announced that he was ready to take on the mantle of leading a political front.

On March 4, Mamata Banerjee spoke to Rao over phone and conveyed her complete support on his statement that he was keen to participate in national politics to bring about "qualitative changes" in governance.

"Ham aap se ek-mat hain. Aap ke saath rahenge" (I am in agreement with you. I will work with you)," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had told Rao.

Alleging that successive governments ruled by both the Congress and BJP at the Centre have miserably failed to ensure development of the country, Rao had earlier said he will talk with all like-minded parties and leaders for creating an agenda for the country's growth.

The Chief Minister's Office had also earlier said Rao is chalking out a programme to hold series of meetings at all India level with various organisations, associations and individuals shortly.

Telangana BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao on Sunday alleged that Rao's travel to Kolkata to meet the West Bengal Chief Minister also 'exposes the lies' planted by his office few weeks ago that Mamata Banerjee called him in support of his plan for forming the new front.

"KCR is seriously suffering from trust deficit with other regional parties in India. No one trusts his style of politics, as we see he will end up with Congress led UPA. He is only trying to increase his bargaining capacity with Congress party by manufacturing the 'national front' idea,” the BJP leader claimed.