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Hyderabad, May 2 (PMI): Former chief minister of UP and president of Samajwadi Party Akilesh Yadav was evasive and non-committal about extending unconditional support to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s efforts in forming a Federal Front against the Congress with which he has been maintaining friendly relations.During the press conference after KCR and Akhilesh Yadav had prolonged deliberations in Pragathi Bhavan, the young SP leader was asked whether he would endorse and support a Federal Front, which was being mooted as an alternative to both the Congress and BJP. Considering his friendly relations with the Congress and obviously put in a delicate situation, Akilesh Yadav instead of giving a straight reply reminded that the previous governments at the Centre have failed the people and country on various fronts and issues. The people were very much disillusioned with both the previous governments that were in power at the Centre, he said.
Akilesh Yadav tried to justify his non-committal stand by asserting that the need of the hour was to bring together all regional parties on one platform, which alone would be able to check the BJP and its “anti-people” policies. He pointed that the BJP has made several promises to various States like Andhra Pradesh on Special Category Status, Telangana, Bihar, UP and so on but none of them were fulfilled. As pointed out by KCR, the country has rich resources and talent, but they were not being properly exploited for the welfare and progress of the people and advancement of the country, he observed.
Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao, in an obvious attempt to wriggle out of the delicate situation, intervened and reminded that the SP Chief had already declared that both the erstwhile governments at the Centre had failed the people and the country. Why are you (mediapersons) trying to create unwanted issues when as of now we have been discussing and deliberating the process of formation of an alternative to bring a qualitative change in the national politics, he observed.
Asked whether they have any Common Minimum Program in their present exercise of forging a Federal Front, KCR further asserted, “We are very clear in our minds that the previous governments at the Centre have failed the people and country due to their faulty policies and lack of will and vision. We have made a beginning. We are discussing, we are trying to prepare a road map in this direction. Hence please see less politics in this regard. It is not KCR Front, or Third Front or some other front. We are only trying to bring about a qualitative change in national politics for the betterment of the people and country. It is not being done with an eye on 2019 elections. There are no boundaries or time limit in our efforts. We are not branding anybody as “untouchables”, he quipped.
Akilesh Yadav pointed out that it was very essential to have progressive ideas and vision to win over the confidence of the people. “KCR with his able administration of the State within four years has won the hearts of the people and gained their trust and confidence. Hence his vision to bring a qualitative change at the national level is laudable. Samajwadi Party is in full support of his efforts as without any political will, it would not be possible to bring cheer in the farmers, who constitute a majority in the country’s economy. We will continue our discussions and deliberations in the coming days with many other like-minded parties”, he explained.
KCR said, “The deliberations with many other like-minded parties and leaders would continue. Once a consensus was reached and an agenda prepared with positive political will to move forward and take our efforts to its logical end, we will come forward within two or three months to announce our future plan of action”.
Earlier, KCR informed the media that he and the SP Chief have discussed at length the need to bring some revolutionary changes at the national level. He said he had also briefed Akilesh about his earlier discussions with Mamata Banerjee, Deve Gowda, M K Stalin in this regard. “Akhilesh Yadav was very understanding and concurred with me for bringing the needed qualitative change and assured his full support to my efforts”, KCR added.
IT Minister KT Rama Rao, MPs K Keshav Rao, Vinod and others were present at the joint press meet. (PMI)
