Telangana Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao is working to build a political forum at the national level with the regional parties.
He is in touch with Mamatha Benerji of Trinamool Congress from West Bengal, M K Stalin of DMK from Tamil Nadu and is scheduled to meet Uddhav Thackery of Shiv Sena from Maharashtra.
KCR is going tough against the BJP leadership and if his plans work well, the four regional parties, which are in power in their respective states, would be a potential threat to the BJP leadership in the 2024 general elections.
Though KCR had planned a similar platform ahead of 2019 general elections, it did not work for him, which benefited the BJP.
But, this time, KCR seems to be going with a firm decision to float a national political platform with the potential regional parties.
On the contrary, the regional party from Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress, is maintaining distance from KCR’s plans and still enjoys a good relationship with the BJP leadership.
Seeing the threat from the regional parties and the falling image of the BJP in the northern States, the Saffron leaders are trying to please Jagan Mohan Reddy, and the recent visit of Nithin Gadkari to AP is an indication.
The praises that Gadkari had showered on Jagan Mohan Reddy, the projects that he had sanctioned for the state, give enough indications that the BJP is trying to please Jagan Mohan Reddy, whose party is emerging as the fourth largest party in the Parliament.
By April 2024, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSR Congress would be wrestling all the 11 Rajya Sabha seats from the state, wiping out both the TDP and BJP from the Upper House.
This number would be compelling for the BJP to have better and quality relations with Jagan Mohan Reddy.