Meira fails to enlist KCR and AIMIM's support on her Hyderabad visit

“I have tried to get in touch with K Chandrasekhar Rao over the phone. We have informed the Chief Minister’s office also. Somehow I couldn’t get through,” Meira Kumar, said here on Monday. The opposition parties’ presidential nominee was here on her one-day visit to secure support for her election by MPs’ and legislators in Telangana.

While KCR never answered her calls, All Indian Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi who made it clear that his party is undecided over presidential poll, also did not meet Meira.

Addressing press at the Congress state headquarters, the Gandhi Bhavan here she said that she has written letters to Telangana Rashtra Samithi and also the Majlis seeking support for her candidature. She remembered her special connection with the newly born Telangana state, recalling that the Bifurcation bill was passed when she was Loksabha speaker.

Calling the legislators across party lines to vote as per their conscience she said that she believes that there will many in NDA who will be voting for her. “So far 17 parties are supporting me. We have our plans, we won’t disclose everything,” she said answering a related question.

However, Meira’s role at the time of state bifurcation has been vehemently opposed by TDP and YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh. “She was instrumental in the bifurcation of the state that is why we have declared our support to NDA candidate,” YSRCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said.

On the other hand, NDA candidate Ramnath Kovind will be arriving here on Tuesday for a two-day visit to Telugu states to drum up support for his victory. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will receive him at the airport. On Wednesday Mr Kovind will be reaching Vijayawada where AP Chief Minister will do the honours at the Gannavaram airport.