No takers for federal front: Has KCR realised his idea of a non-Congress front is too weak to take on BJP?

The leaders of opposition parties are reportedly contemplating a meeting between May 19 (the last phase of polling) and May 23 (when the results will be announced). The meeting will be held to decide the Prime Ministerial candidate of the national-level alliance - 'Mahagathbandhan'.

On the other hand, there has been another significant development, wherein Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) revived his efforts to stitch a 'third front'.

KCR met CPM leader and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss the 'national political scenario'.

Vijayan, after the meeting, said that neither Congress nor BJP will get absolute majority and regional parties will play a key role in the formation of government at the Centre.

However, it's unlikely that Vijayan will back the federal front as CPM is a foe of BJP.

Rao is also scheduled to meet DMK chief Stalin on May 13, though reports say Stalin has turned down his proposal owing to his campaign schedule for the May 19 by-polls.

It's to be noted that DMK has an alliance with the Congress in Tamil Nadu and Stalin has already extended his support to the 'Mahagathbandhan. 

He had also recommended Rahul Gandhi's name as the Mahagathbandhan's Prime Ministerial candidate.

Also, Congress has, time and again, accused KCR as the B-team of NDA. According to the party, KCR has been trying to forge a third front to help BJP, in case, the saffron party falls short of numbers.

Furthermore, there are reports which suggest KCR has reportedly asked JD(S) leader and Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy to help him strike a deal with the Congress. The Karnataka chief minister appears as a facilitator here because JD(S) and Congress alliance is in power in Karnataka and the Mahagathbandhan too has Kumaraswamy's backing.

KCR has probably realised that any alliance without Congress party's participation won't work. Congress is the main opposition party and Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a credible and confident leader.

It's worth noting here that in the Assembly elections, Congress pulled off stunning victories in the three Hindi heartland states under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi

It may be recalled that KCR's arch rival and Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, too has realised the importance of Congress party's presence in the Mahagathbandhan.

Keeping aside three decades of rivalry, Naidu had reached out to Rahul Gandhi and both the leaders stressed the need to come together to 'save democracy'.

At the national level, most opposition parties have already extended their support to Mahagathbandhan to take on BJP. Congress too is likely to join this national-level alliance. 

Last year, KCR had approached several party leaders not aligned with Congress and BJP, including Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

However, his effort had hit the speed bumps after most parties chose Mahagathbandhan over his federal front. So far, only YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy has openly backed him.

Mahagathbandhan, an idea floated by Mamata Banerjee and promoted by Chandrababu Naidu, also has the support of seasoned political leaders like Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah.

KCR's idea of a non-Congress front is too weak to take on BJP. And the only way he can garner the support of all like-minded opposition parties, to keep the BJP-led NDA out of power, is by seeking Congress's cooperation.


(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)