NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: With the presidential election in sight, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has launched hectic parlays with leaders of opposition parties to take on the BJP. As part of his week-long ‘national mission’ to bring like-minded parties on one platform, Rao met Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
This was his second meeting with Kejriwal in two days. On Saturday, he along with Kejriwal and deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, went to see Delhi government schools and Mohalla clinics. According to sources, the two discussed national politics, states’ role in India’s growth and the Union Government’s policies. “They also talked about fielding a consensus candidate in the presidential election. Rao is meeting leaders of opposition parties with 2024 elections in focus,” said a source.
Both the leaders then left for Chandigarh together, where they handed over cheques of Rs 3 lakh to families of 600 farmers, who had died during agitation against farm laws. The event was attended by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. Rao also gave cheques of Rs 10 lakh to five families of soldiers who were martyred during clashes with the PLA in Galwan.
Rao said farmers should keep fighting till they get a constitutional guarantee for remunerative prices of their crops. Kejriwal said that there was tremendous pressure on his government by the Centre to convert all the stadiums of Delhi into open jails during farmers’ struggle.