Clamour for third front growing; now Mamata Banerjee and Hemant Soren back KCR's proposal

Mamata Banerjee and Hemant Soren today backed KCR's proposal for forming a third front ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Hyderabad: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren have now backed TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao's (KCR) call for forming a third front 

The two leaders today called on KCR and expressed their support to his proposal for stitching up a third front with like-minded parties as an alternative to the BJP and Congress.

Both Mamata and Soren backed the Telangana Chief Minister's statement on bringing a 'qualitative change in Indian politics', IANS reported.

The Trinamool Congress leader spoke to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief to convey that she is with him in bringing like-minded parties together.

According to the West Bengal Chief Minister's Office, Mamata told him that she fully agrees with him and is ready to work with him.

''I am in agreement with you. I will work with you," the West Bengal CM's office quoted Mamata as saying.

KCR, as the TRS chief is popularly known, had on Saturday said that there is a need for a qualitative change in the Indian politics and declared that he is ready to bring together like-minded parties.

"There is a serious need for qualitative change in the national politics. People are vexed now. No qualitative change is seen by the people even after 70 years of exercise of democracy. It is very unfortunate. People are looking for a change. Can we expect something new to happen if Congress comes to power after BJP," the Telangana Chief Minister had said.

He said that the new platform could be a third front or any other front and he will not mind being a part of the change."It can be a third front or any front. Discussions are going on the same. I am trying to `bring change` in politics and I don't mind to be a part of the change," he said.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren too telephoned KCR and expressed his solidarity. He welcomed KCR's decision to play a key role in national politics.

Two MPs from Maharashtra and prominent persons from different walks of life also spoke to KCR over the phone and expressed their support.

Similarly, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi too backed KCR's proposal for a third front before 2019 polls.

The country is fed up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and it's time to go for a third front, the AIMIM chief said.

"I welcome Telangana CM`s statement and he rightly stated that people of the country are fed up with BJP governance and Congress is not a viable option, neither it can become one," said Owaisi. 

The Hyderabad MP's statement came a day after KCR said that he was in consultation with top political leaders for forming a common platform with likeminded political parties.

The AIMIM chief further praised the Chief Minister for his governance in Telangana. 

The TRS chief has been receiving support from people belonging to different walks of life.

People from all parts of Telangana are reaching Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence of the Chief Minister, to express their support.

Pundits from different temples, representatives of the Brahmin community, maulvis from different mosques, representatives of Muslim organisations, Fathers from churches, Christian religious representatives, Sikh religious representatives, employees from RTC, Singareni, electricity department, Banjaras, tribals, backward classes representatives and others are reaching Pragathi Bhavan in large numbers to express solidarity with KCR.

(With IANS inputs)