K Chandrasekhar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu equally against BJP, Congress

Hyderabad: TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu may disagree on many things but they agree on one thing: both CMs are anti-BJP and anti-Congress. TD fought the 2014 general election in alliance with the BJP. Mr Naidu has always been anti-Congress. The Telugu Desam fought the 2014 general election in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. But as the two have now fallen out, Mr Naidu's stance is both anti BJP and anti Congress.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao sees the Congress as his main rival in the state after the 2014 elections, and till recently had good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, supporting many of the PM’s policies. Now that he too has turned against Mr Modi, and called for the formation of a third front, he wants neither of the two main national parties to be part of it.

In a recent meeting with Telangana TD leaders in Hyderabad, Mr Naidu hinted about a possible alliance with the TRS in the next general election. In the past, the TRS and TD have fought Assembly elections together. Senior Telangana TD leader M. Narasimhulu openly said that the TD should have an alliance with the TRS in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

TRS leaders say if Mr Naidu proposes such an alliance, Mr Rao may reciprocate. Since both Mr Naidu and Mr Rao have good relations with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, she may a mediator to bring the two parties on one platform, said a Telangana TD leader.