A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi unequivocally declared that his party would have nothing to do with the Opposition unity efforts if the BRS was made a partner of the coalition, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav flew down to Hyderabad on Monday, 3 July, and had a lengthy discussion with Telangana Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao.
At the meeting held at the Telangana chief minister’s official residence, Pragati Bhavan, in Hyderabad, they are said to have discussed the need to craft a credible alternative to the BJP.
The SP was one of the 17 outfits that attended the Opposition party’s conclave in Patna on 23 June, convened by Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar at his residence.
It was said that the BRS was not invited to the meeting because the constituents were not very sure of KCR’s anti-BJP credentials.
According to reports, Akhilesh Yadav, on Sunday, briefed him about the contents of the meeting in Patna and invited him to be present at the next meeting of the Opposition parties at Bengaluru on 17 and 18 July before the commencement of the monsoon session of Parliament on 20 July.
As the Congress is the principal Opposition party in Telangana, KCR cannot afford to be seen rubbing shoulders with Congress leaders in Bengaluru.
He may not be attending the meeting also because he made his stand very clear in the past that he had no faith in fronts as such formations had failed to deliver in the past.
He said what was needed was not to push a single-point agenda of defeating one person but continuing to work for better governance.
In other words, the fighting should focus on policies and not on individuals.
After arriving in Hyderabad, Akhilesh Yadav said that the aim of all the Opposition parties was to see that the BJP was dislodged from power at the Centre.
He said all parties who were fighting against the BJP should come together.
It would not be an overstatement to say that the Akhilesh-KCR meeting generated immense interest, since Akhilesh — who was on the Congress’ side at the Patna meeting on 23 June — was seen with KCR, who is the Congress’ rival, on Monday.
It remains to be seen what the two leaders are up to.
