K Chandrasekhar Rao pleads for DMK's Karunanidhi on Federal Front plan

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said that it would take at least two to three months to forge his Federal Front at the national level ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, as he will have to consult all regional parties to arrive at a consensus on who should be with included in the front and who should be left out.

Mr Rao on Sunday held meetings with DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Karunanidhi and his son and DMK working president M.K. Stalin in Chennai to discuss on his proposed Federal Front.

Mr Rao reiterated that the proposed Front would not be a “mere political front” but would be a people’s front.

“Our front is not about alignment of political parties but alignment of people, farming community, unemployed youth. It is aimed at bringing qualitative change in Indian politics and governance, which has not happened in the past 70 years,” he said.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Mr Rao said, “No decisions have been taken today. We have only started consultations and will hold further discussions in the coming days before deciding who should join us and who should not. This is neither the beginning nor the end.”

He further said centralisation of power within the Centre and the dictatorial attitude of Central governments over the years had to end and it was time “true federalism” and “true secularism” prevailed in the country, for which the new front would work.