Oppn unity 'facilitator' Naidu plans to spend 2 days every week in Delhi

The Congress and TDP have a pre-poll alliance for the Telanagana assembly polls

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu aspires to be a “facilitator” for opposition unity, and has decided to spend at least two days every week in the national capital for the purpose.

Naidu, who also heads the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), will kick off these weekly sojourns by spending the next two days in New Delhi, and is scheduled to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

The Congress and TDP have a pre-poll alliance for the Telangana assembly polls. The two parties are also exploring a pre-poll alliance for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra assembly polls will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.

However, sources close to Naidu said their leader was more likely to discuss the national situation with the Congress chief, and the need for all opposition parties to come on a common platform with the message that it is time to “save the nation” from Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Naidu's TDP had walked out of the BJP-led NDA in March, with his leaders quitting from the Modi-led council of ministers. Subsequently, the TDP had moved a no-confidence motion against the Modi government in the Lok Sabha.

Naidu was in New Delhi on Saturday and had met Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, and Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav.

On Saturday, the Andhra CM had also addressed the media where he had ruled out any national aspirations for himself, stressing the need was for all opposition parties to come together to “save democracy and institutions” from the Modi government.

Naidu’s meeting on Saturday with Mayawati and his scheduled meeting with CPI (M) chief Yechury on Thursday are significant in the context of Andhra Pradesh politics. Actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan is keen to have an alliance with Mayawati-led BSP in Andhra Pradesh. The Left parties are already in talks with Kalyan to form a 'third front' in Andhra Pradesh against Naidu-led TDP and his rival YS Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party.

On Wednesday, CPI (M)’s Telangana unit appealed to Communist Party of India (CPI) and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) to come out of their alliance with Congress and TDP in Telangana. It asked the two parties to join the Bahujan Left Front to contest the polls. The CPI (M) is one of the main constituents of the Bahujan Left Front.

Naidu, it is likely, would discuss the issue of CPI (M) also joining the Congress-led alliance in Telangana, and eventually the alliance of these parties in Andhra Pradesh.