Congress Thwarts KCR Plan To Split UPA!

[Anta Assamey]

Telangana Rahstra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's plan to create a split in the pro-Congress regional parties seems to have backfired, at least for now.

Within hours of Telangana CMO getting the stories planted in the media over a meeting between KCR and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin in Chennai at 4.30 pm on May 13, the DMK issued a statement saying there was no such meeting scheduled.

The DMK clarified that Stalin might not be in a position to meet KCR as he would be busy with the campaign for by-elections in Tamil Nadu.

While by-polls to 18 assembly seats were held on April 18 along with the Lok Sabha elections, four others are going to polls on May 19.

Since the outcome of the by-polls is crucial for Tamil Nadu as it would determine the continuance of the ruling AIADMK in power, Stalin has decided to go all out in the campaign.

However, inquiries revealed that the DMK chief had backtracked obviously under pressure from the Congress party, its alliance partner in Tamil Nadu.

Though Stalin entertained the idea of KCR for a federal front, he later realized that the front idea was only to weaken the anti-BJP forces, thereby benefitting the BJP.

So, the DMK chief entered into an alliance with Congress party in Lok Sabha elections and also for assembly by-elections.

Apparently, the Congress party cautioned Stalin against holding any talks with KCR as the latter is trying to divide the anti-BJP forces.

The DMK's move is seen as a signal to KCR that it wanted to continue alliance with the Congress and has no interest whatsoever in the federal front.

Incidentally, it was Stalin who had declared Congress President Rahul Gandhi as the Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate in the past.

Apparently, even Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also wary of KCR’s plans though both of them had discussed the federal front plans.

He politely told KCR that the CPI (M) central committee would take a call on any such front proposals.

He also dismissed the reports (that appeared in pro-KCR media) that KCR had talked about the prime ministerial candidate from South India.