Bhubaneswar: On the eve of the scheduled meet between TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) with his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik here Sunday evening, all eyes are on the latter’s stand on forming a federal front by uniting all non-BJP and non-Congress parties.
In his bid to cobble together a front of like-minded non-BJP and non-Congress parties, Rao will be meeting the top brasses of such political outfits in next few days.
Apart from Naveen, he will be meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday, and is also expected to meet BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav next week.
The proposed visit ahead of the general elections has sparked speculations about a new political equation in the form of an alliance of non-BJP and non-Congress parties or a federal front in the country. KCR along with his family will meet the BJD president here at Naveen Niwas. He will spend a night there.
Initially, the meeting was scheduled to be held in May this year. But, it could not happen as Naveen had not given the green signal at that time. Perhaps, with the changing political scenario following Assembly polls in five states, Naveen has agreed to discuss the formation new political platform.
The meeting is going to take place at a time when the BJD supremo is keeping his cards close to his chest with regard to his future political moves in national politics.
Though BJD spokesperson Arun Sahoo termed the meeting as courtesy call, sources said the two regional party presidents are likely to hold consultations on their future political moves at national politics.
Despite the fact that JDU leader Nitish Kumar, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and Mamata had confabulated to him in this regard in the recent past, the BJD chief is yet to disclose his future plans. So far, Naveen has been harping on one phrase – “maintaining equidistance from both BJP and the Congress party.”
Hence, the proposed meeting between Naveen Patnaik and KCR is expected to throw some light on the line to be taken by the BJD boss with regard to formation of a federal front.
According to political analysts, if the non-Congress and non-BJP parties join hands, they may play a crucial role in formation of new government at the Centre and will have better bargaining power to deal with the Union government for the interest of their respective states.
Commenting on the issue, state BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said, “In politics, such meetings will be held and alliances may also be formed. But Naveen babu’s secret nexus with other political parties was revealed during the Bijepur and Bijatala by-elections.”
Taking the proposed meet lightly, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik said, “Such kind of meetings will take place till February. I don’t want to comment on who will ally with which party at this time.”
PNN