Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his Telangana counterpart K. Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday met here and decided to work together for an anti-BJP front.
Thackeray assured support to Rao for his efforts to form a national alternative. After the meeting at Thackeray’s residence, both the leaders told reporters that they would hold talks with the leaders of other regional and national parties to strengthen the country.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief said there is a need for a big change in the country.
“A beginning has been made with our meeting. I believe a good message has gone out from here,” said KCR, as he hoped that the meeting would yield desired results.
Stating that the campaigns launched from Maharashtra had succeeded in the past, KCR said that Maratha warriors like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Balasaheb Thackeray inspired the country.
He said they want to move ahead with the same spirit and fight injustice and save democracy.
Alleging that the country’s federalism is being damaged, Thackeray said, “The atmosphere that should be there between states and the Centre is not seen today. This politics will not work. So, we have made a fresh start.”
“The situation prevailing in the country and the way low-grade politics is happening is not Hindutva,” said Thackeray, whose party Shiv Sena severed ties with the BJP in 2019 to form the government in Maharashtra in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.
“Hindutva is not about violence or revenge. If things continue like this, what is the future of the country,” asked Thackeray.
He also voiced his unhappiness over the way the Central government ‘spread rumours’ about some states and some leaders.
KCR also invited Thackeray to Hyderabad for further talks.
“We are brothers because our states share a 1,000 km long border. We built the Kaleshwaram project with the cooperation of the Maharashtra government. We want to continue working together,” said the TRS leader.
KCR later left for a meeting with NCP chief Sharad Pawar.