KCR's new front hits UP roadblock: Mayawati keeps him waiting, Akhilesh defers meet

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, who have reportedly struck a seat-sharing deal to jointly contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, seem to be playing hardball for others who are reaching out to them. Days after Zee News reported that the two parties have kept the Congress out of the seat-sharing deal in Uttar Pradesh, two former chief ministers have now kept Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) K Chandrasekhar Rao in waiting.

According to news agency PTI, while Akhilesh Yadav has said that he would meet KCR later in Hyderabad, and not in Delhi, Mayawati has not yet given time to the Telangana Chief Minister for a meeting. Notably, KCR is working to constitute a non-BJP and non-Congress federal front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting between Akhilesh Yadav and KCR was scheduled to happen at the residence of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in the national capital. But the Yadav scion said that he would meet the TRS chief in Hyderabad after January 6. He however, hailed KCR’s attempts.

“Efforts to bring all parties together have been ongoing for many months; I congratulate Telangana Chief Minister for working in this direction. He has been trying to bring together a federal front, I’ll go to Hyderabad to meet him,” said Akhilesh Yadav.

Mayawati has not confirmed the timing for meeting with the Telangana Chief Minister despite being in the national capital since Sunday.

In his attempt to constitute a federal front of opposition parties, the TRS chief has already held meetings with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Following his meeting with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, KCR had said, “Our dialogue will continue, very shortly, we will come out with a concrete plan. We are discussing things. I will continue with my efforts.”

After winning the Telangana Assembly elections with a thumping majority, KCR had declared that he was in consultation with other parties and would play an active role in national politics.

(With agency inputs)