Naidu to meet Rahul, Maya, Akhilesh on Sat

With the counting of Lok Sabha elections due in less than a week, the Opposition camp has intensified its strategy sessions. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Saturday, as well as BSP chief Mayawati and her SP counterpart Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.

On Friday, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister met CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury at AKG Bhawan in Delhi, for discussions on the post-poll scenario, followed by deliberations with AAP supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Sources said that Naidu, who was in Delhi to meet the Election Commission to complain about the election process in his state, discussed emerging the political situation in the country and efforts to ensure that the Narendra Modi-led BJP is kept out of power.

Naidu's meeting with Rahul in the national capital and the meeting with Mayawati and Yadav in Lucknow will be taking forward his attempt to bring Opposition parties together. This is also Naidu's first meeting with Mayawati this election season.

Sources also said Naidu is in constant touch with Yadav and other senior Opposition leaders like Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and others. Recently, Naidu had met Banerjee after a meeting with Rahul.

Naidu has been planning a meeting of Opposition parties in the capital before the counting of votes, but a section of leaders are against the idea.

Though he is not in touch with arch-rival TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, Naidu said that TRS or any party which is against BJP are welcome to join a grand alliance after the election results are declared.

"We welcome not only the TRS but any party which is against the BJP. We are welcoming all such parties to be a part of our grand alliance," Naidu told reporters after meeting the Election Commission of India (ECI) here. He did not speak after his meeting with Yechury.

"I am meeting everybody. Will chalk out a plan after discussing with all leaders," Naidu added.