Stalin, KCR meeting unlikely

DMK chief M K Stalin is unlikely to meet Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on May 13 in Chennai, in what is being seen as a snub to the TRS chief who is working towards forming a federal front.

Rao, who met Kerala Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan on Monday, had sought an appointment with Stalin on May 13 as part of his efforts to meet regional straps to drum up support for a non-BJP and non-Congress front. DMK sources told DH that the meeting is unlikely to happen since Stalin is busy campaigning for the by-elections to four assembly constituencies scheduled to be held on May 19.

"The meeting has not been confirmed. It is unlikely to take place," a DMK leader said on condition of anonymity. He said Stalin is busy campaigning for the by-polls and he would not be able to be in Chennai for the meeting.

Another leader said there was no need for Stalin to meet Rao since it would send a wrong signal as DMK is still part of the Congress alliance. "In fact, it was the DMK President who first proposed Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister candidate. Hence, meeting a leader who wants to create a non-Congress front would send the wrong signal," he said.

Rao had met Stalin and his father M Karunanidhi in April 2018 and sought the DMK's support for the Federal Front. However, the DMK decided to continue its alliance with Congress for the Lok Sabha polls and made the announcement after the death of Karunanidhi.

DMK's allies Congress and VCK welcomed Stalin's decision of not meeting Rao. VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said the Federal Front idea proposed by KCR would only benefit BJP and not the secular forces.