K Chandrashekar Rao - MK Stalin meet opens up federal front door in south

As the day for Lok Sabha results near, Opposition parties have come together hoping that NDA government will fail to get the magic number. But the road ahead does not look like a cake walk for Opposition parties. With just one last-phase to go for polls on May 19, results for the seven-phase elections will be announced on May 23.

On one hand, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu along with grand-old party Congress have been looking for more parties' support, while Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is looking form a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu had met Congress President Rahu Gandhi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to hold a meeting of opposition parties on May 21. Congress president has entrusted the responsibility to TDP chief of convincing the opposition parties about the post-poll agenda. As per Naidu they have support of 22 political parties, but there is no clarity as to who will be Prime Minister, if they have a majority.

While in Chennai, the heads are rolling to form another Federal Front. Telangana CM KCR knocked the doors of Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) chief MK Stalin. The meeting went on for more than an hour, What transpired in the meeting is subject to speculation as none of the two sides revealed what transpired.

Ever since TRS party swept Telangana Assembly Elections last year, KCR's urge to play big role in national politics was clearly evident. As part of his grand Federal Front plans, KCR has been silently wooing Mamta Bannerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Deve Gowda-H.D.Kumaraswamy, Naveen Patnaik, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and now MK Stalin.

The interesting aspect here is why did Stalin meet KCR when he has already declared his support for Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate while Congress is arch-rival of KCR & TRS in Telangana politics. "As of today, there's no possibility of Third Front or Federal Front in India. Our culture is not to say no when someone wants to meet," said KS Alagiri, Tamil Nadu Congress President, while downplaying the meeting.

However, Chennai-based political analyst Sumanth C.Raman says, "Stalin apparently turned down the meeting a few days ago but has now gone ahead with it because my guess would be that the Congress is on the discussions too and may have asked Stalin to get an idea of what's on KCR's mind."

A sharp and astute politician he is, KCR can count on only 16 Lok Sabha seats from Telangana ( if he manages to win them all ) and one seat of his trusted ally Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM. But with sixteen plus one, KCR wants to play kingmaker's role like his friend turned bitter political rival Chandrababu Naidu, who was instrumental in making HD Deve Gowda the Prime Minister in United Front days.

As the Opposition parties are trying to work every combination and permutation with the eyes on PM's seat, the BJP with it allies is confident of forming the government for second term.