After Telangana CM and TRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao snubbed the Congress by meeting only Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, the Grand Old Party issued a measured statement.
Following KCR's efforts to build what his MP called a 'Third Front', the Congress said that for any anti-BJP bloc to be successful, it has to have the Congress in it.
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On February 20, KCR flew to Mumbai to meet Maharashtra CM Thackeray, and his partner in power Pawar. However, KCR didn't meet any leaders of the Congress, which is also part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra.
Subsequently, state Congress chief Nana Patole welcomed KCR's efforts to counter the BJP, which he said was acting like a dictator. Patole reportedly added that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had also tried to erect a non-BJP, non-Congress front comprised of regional parties, but it didn't fructify.