Anti-BJP Front: No Political Front Without Congress, Sena MP Sanjay Raut Says After KCR Meets Thackeray, Pawar

Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met Uddhav Thackeray as part of the efforts to bring together various like-minded parties against the BJP at the national level

New Delhi: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has said there have been no talks regarding the formation of a political front without the Congress after Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao met his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray in a bid to stitch an anti-BJP alliance.

 “We never said that a political front would be formed without the Congress. At the time when Mamata Banerjee had suggested a political front, the Shiv Sena was the first political party that talked about taking the Congress along. KCR has the ability to lead by taking everyone along,” Raut was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.</p

The Sena heads an alliance government of three parties, including the NCP and Congress, in Maharashtra.

Rao, also known as KCR, met Thackeray on Sunday as part of the efforts to bring together various like-minded parties against the BJP at the national level, according to PTI report.

The meeting was attended by Raut and actor Prakash Raj. Shiv Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ on Sunday said the meeting will expedite the process of political unity at the national level against the BJP.

Thackeray had earlier announced “complete support” to Rao’s fight against the BJP’s alleged anti-people policies and to uphold the federal spirit.

The Telangana CM, who has been critical of the BJP and the Centre on a number of issues, had said he will hold meetings with his Maharashtra and West Bengal counterparts as part of efforts to unite various political parties against the BJP and the NDA government.

On BJP’s stance in Uttar Pradesh

On the ongoing elections in Uttar Pradesh, Raut said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is losing in the state and thus putting allegations against the Opposition parties, according to news agency ANI.

Earlier, Union Minister Anurag Thakur had questioned Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on the alleged involvement of his party's leader in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case after a special court in Gujarat on Friday pronounced the death sentence to 38 out of 49 convicts in the case.

Talking to reporters, Raut said, "When the BJP is on the verge of a loss, they put such allegations. The BJP is losing in Uttar Pradesh. They are trying to make the last desperate attempts. Democracy is coming to an end in this country. This is a result of that."

Thakur had questioned the silence of Yadav on the alleged links with one of the accused's father stating that the latter was a Samajwadi Party leader.

"I would like to tell you that Ahmedabad's serial blast is linked to the Samajwadi Party and the 49 people who have been convicted, one of the masterminds is Mohammed Saif, the son of Shahbaad Ahmed who is a Samajwadi Party leader. Who is this Samajwadi Party leader? Why is Akhilesh Ji quiet on this?" Thakur had said.