Vaghela meets KCR, 'keen' on joining anti-BJP front

HYDERABAD: Gujarat former chief minister Shankersingh Vaghela met Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan here on Friday. The two leaders were closetted in a five-hour-long meeting where they were reported to have discussed national politics and the recent developments of significance.

Reports claim that Vaghela was eager to join the anti-BJP front that KCR is trying to forge as a viable alternative at the Centre. The TRS chief has been meeting a number of prominent opposition leaders in the recent past as part of these efforts. A few days back, Karnataka former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy also paid a visit to Pragathi Bhavan and held prolonged deliberations with KCR.

Before this, KCR visited Bihar where he held talks with Chief Minister and JDU top leader Nithish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD) to give a shape to the proposed anti-BJP combine. He also paid a courtesy call on Tejashwi Yadav'a father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on this occasion.

Earlier, the TRS chief also held confabulations with former chief ministers Shibu Soren of Jharkhand, Akhilesh Yadav of Uttar Pradesh and Uddhav Thackeray of Maharashtra as part of his efforts to bring about opposition unity.

Vaghela beckons KCR to national politics

According to sources, Vaghela has invited KCR to step into the arena of national politics. He reportedly expressed his opinion that the country was in need of KCR's leadership in contemporary politics. He said that the TRS chief should play a proactive role at the national level to nullify the BJP's evil politics and added that every effort in this direction would have the backing of senior leaders like him.

Vaghela reportedly told KCR: "Rao Saheb..,an autocratic regime is on the rampage at the Centre which is destroying the democratic and federal spirit. Leaders like me are anguished and have been struggling to gulp this down in silence for quite some time as there is no proper platform to resist it. The way you have been resisting the Centre's policies have inspired us a great deal. The country has already recognised you as a strong leader who will not back down until achieving what you fight for. The way you overcame all hurdles and made the separate statehood of Telangana possible was testimony to you valour, grit and resilience. You are also leading the newly formed state firmly and progressively towards rapid growth and development. No other leader is as reputed as you are in the 75 years of independent India.

"Though the Centre is troubling you with constant obstacles since Telangana was formed, you have been forging ahead with unflinching commitment, focus and confidence. Your leadership is the need of the hour in bringing together all the like-minded parties of the country. We all are ready to work along with you. I came down to Hyderabad only after my discussion with all our leaders. You enjoy the outright support of all of us," was what Vaghela was reported to have said during his meeting with KCR.