After Rahul Gandhi, Chandrababu Naidu meets Akhilesh Yadav to discuss anti-BJP front

NEW DELHI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who on Saturday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a bid to cobble up an anti-BJP front in the post-poll scenario, met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.The TDP chief will also meet BSP supremo Mayawati this evening.According to reports, the three leaders will meet at Mayawati’s residence in Lucknow where they will explore the possibility of forming an anti-BJP front after the announcement of the 2019 Lok Sabha election results.Earlier this morning, Naidu met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discussed with him the possibilities of all opposition parties uniting and forging a joint opposition alliance in the event of BJP-led NDA falling short of the required numbers.The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also met CPI leader G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja over breakfast, asking them to “come together”.Naidu also met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and LJD leader Sharad Yadav.The TDP chief has already held several rounds of discussions with various opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.During the meeting, Naidu reportedly told all the leaders that ”we all should come together and put our act together” in forming the next government by keeping the BJP out.The sources said Naidu also told Rahul Gandhi to have a strategy ready, in case the NDA falls short of the majority mark and still stakes claim to form the government.Naidu’s TDP had been a part of the NDA but quit the alliance a few months ago.On Friday, Naidu had said that not only the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) but any outfit which is against the saffron party are welcome to join a grand alliance after the election results are declared.Opposition parties are pitching for a joint anti-BJP front to steer the next government.Hectic deliberations between various opposition leaders have begun before the announcement of Lok Sabha election results on May 23. Amid the efforts to bring all non-NDA parties together, Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy urged Congress and his party members not to give controversial statements against each other.