KCR has a heavy agenda at Kolkata

Mamata Banerjee may not sever ties with Congress and support third front

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to have a threadbare discussion on forging a third front with his West Bengal counterpart and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee when the two meet in Kolkata on Monday afternoon.

Mr. Rao will take a special flight at 12.30 p.m. after attending the Assembly session and return in the evening.

He will be accompanied by Chief Advisor to Government Rajeev Sharma, Advisor on Home Affairs Anurag Sharma, TRS parliamentary party leader K. Keshava Rao and TRS leader in the Lok Sabha A.P. Jitender Reddy.

Sources said Mr. Rao’s meeting with Ms. Banerjee assumed significance in the backdrop of her stiff opposition to any BJP-led government at the Centre.

So, she will like to align with all political forces ranged against the BJP.

Alliance frame

Since she is a strong votary of the Congress-led UPA government, she might want the TRS and all other parties, which are not supporting either the Congress or BJP, to come together and explore the possibility of going with the Congress in the changed circumstances triggered by the defeat of the BJP in recent Lok Sabha elections.

Ms. Banerjee will try to impress upon Mr. Rao the need for all non-Congress and non-BJP parties to support Congress instead of remaining a third front that is small in number and not in a position to challenge either the BJP or the Congress.

The seasoned politician that she is, sources said, it was not expected of Ms. Banjerjee to sever links with the Congress and support the third front.

Mind-reading

She might read the mind of Mr. Rao to explore his political agenda and strength in leading the third front which could be a better alternative than UPA, especially in the context of indications that the Congress was set to bag about 150 seats and coming closer to BJP.

The number could swell with the support of Left, Samajwadi, BSP and other parties opposed to the BJP.

On his part, Mr. Rao will try to impress upon Ms. Banerjee how TRS was a force to reckon with as it was confident of faring well in the next election but the party could not be expected to tilt the situation without the support of regional parties.

His thrust will be on how both Congress and BJP had failed to deliver and, therefore, the need for a third front that is more powerful.